Everlasting:
-1-
Third week of October,
Thursday night:
It was late, just after ten PM. With a still-warm, fall drizzle outside the Wolfe's Den bar, the somewhat less desirable streets of New Bellwich's southside downtown were slick and shiny with a thin sheen of water. This meant the humidity was high, even this late at night, and somewhat stifling. The door to the bar opened as two couples entered, collage aged and casually dressed.
Cade wiped down the surface of bar, polishing the old wooden surface and getting rid of fresh rings of condensation and spills from the customers' drinks. He glanced up at the new arrivals, watching as they entered and looked around the medium-sized bar to find seats. One of the waitresses, a manitou spirit, headed over to wait on them. The Wolfe's Den attracted some regular mortals, but they were usually the offbeat sort: new age-y, open-minded, loners, college kids, the goth/vampire-wannabes, or even free-spirited hippie types. There were also the fantasts, even if they didn't realize what they were—they just knew they believed in the supernatural whether or not they'd experience anything "strange." If someone belonged, they would stay for a drink or two in the dimly lit bar. Some came back, some didn't.
If someone was not meant to stay, something about the atmosphere would repel them, and they'd leave. Cade had seen it happen twice so far in the past couple of weeks. No one in the bar had done anything in particular to frighten the mortals away, it had just happened.
The other sort of customers were the immortal themselves, disguised in some way and not wanting to attract any sort of attention. They merely came to relax and have a drink. Cade had even seen a vampire one night, which startled him; but Eddie had said they were allowed so long as they followed the 'no drinking from the others customers personally' rule.
Especially the elves. Elven blood was like nectar to vampires.
Most everyone who knew Eddie as more than just the bar owner—and tattooist—believed he was a fantast: a mortal who was part of the Secret World, who could perceive the Reverie and maybe even travel the Astra. The man never said a word about it, though. Mostly, when he was here...like now, Cade thought, glancing at the heavily tattooed, slim, dark-haired man who sported a mustache and goatee...he said very little as he sat in the shadows at the end of the bar.
“How about another drink, handsome,” a female voice purred from the side of the bar.
Cade put a polite smile on his face and turned to Caroline, a semi-regular mortal. He wiped his hands on the black, half-apron he wore over his jeans and white t-shirt, the bar's "uniform." “Sure thing, Car” he said, grabbing the vodka bottle.
She was hot, Cade had to admit—curvy, honey-blonde, and almost as tall as he was. But he made it a rule to not hit on or screw the women that came into Eddie's. Mixing business and pleasure was never a smart move, especially when Kira came here as well. Cade had never gotten emotionally attached to the women he slept with, but had always enjoyed the sex and losing himself in the act. Then after a few hours it was goodbye darlin'. Strange thing was, sex and drinking used to be how Cade dealt with...well life and everything about it. But now it was mostly out of habit and for release that he sought out his not-too-frenquent sexual encounters.
Cade didn't allow himself to think too much about the reason...about who caused him to feel an unfamiliar sense of loyalty...as that would only lead to complications he didn't want nor need. He and Kira were friends. It was his job to protect her and fight by her side, that was it. He kept himself busy and occupied with his part-time job at the Den, as well as lessons, interactions with the eldritch, and hunting.
There was also an over-protective gargoyle-slash-police detective looming in the proverbial background.
“Can we get some pretzels here, Cade?” the male half of a couple at the bar asked, waving his hand.
Cade excused himself from the ever-hopeful Caroline and nodded, dashing her hopes yet again. “Coming right up,” he said.
“I'll get them,” Eddie said quietly from his end of the bar, glancing up from the bills he was paying. “You hold down the bar.”
Cade nodded his thanks, then saw the full-time bartender returning from his break. Tall, bald, wide shouldered, and dark-skinned, he was a good deterrent for any trouble that could possibly start in the bar. Once the snacks on the bar had been refilled, Cade headed out to wipe down tables and help out the waitresses.
A slight shoving match started up between a daeva and another customer who was a wanna-be goth, and drunk. Cade was right there in the middle before blows could be exchanged. Although the daeva was probably stronger than he was, Cade held out his arms between both men with his palms on either of their chests.
“Back it off, both of you,” he ordered. Then he made eye contact with the daeva, half warning half asking. The immortal could easily kill the other man. “You know the rules,” he reminded them both.
When the stringy, dark-haired guy took a half-hearted and sloppy swing around Cade, the young demon hunter lost his patience.
“Alright!” he said, voice raised in irritation. “Now you've pissed me off. Out you go, asshole.”
Cade shoved and dragged the guy by the collar of his fake leather jacket to the front door, past the elven bouncer...who was shaking his head and looking bored...and out into the parking lot. When the guy took a punch at Cade, he sighed. His fist contacted with the guy's face in warning and sent him sprawling on the asphalt, blood now running from his nose.
“You're done here,” Cade warned, his own as-yet unnamed immortal blood giving him some extra "badass" vibes. “This isn't the place to fuck around with, believe me.”
He turned his back without fear of retaliation, hearing the staggering sound of boots crunching on asphalt.
Thursday night:
It was late, just after ten PM. With a still-warm, fall drizzle outside the Wolfe's Den bar, the somewhat less desirable streets of New Bellwich's southside downtown were slick and shiny with a thin sheen of water. This meant the humidity was high, even this late at night, and somewhat stifling. The door to the bar opened as two couples entered, collage aged and casually dressed.
Cade wiped down the surface of bar, polishing the old wooden surface and getting rid of fresh rings of condensation and spills from the customers' drinks. He glanced up at the new arrivals, watching as they entered and looked around the medium-sized bar to find seats. One of the waitresses, a manitou spirit, headed over to wait on them. The Wolfe's Den attracted some regular mortals, but they were usually the offbeat sort: new age-y, open-minded, loners, college kids, the goth/vampire-wannabes, or even free-spirited hippie types. There were also the fantasts, even if they didn't realize what they were—they just knew they believed in the supernatural whether or not they'd experience anything "strange." If someone belonged, they would stay for a drink or two in the dimly lit bar. Some came back, some didn't.
If someone was not meant to stay, something about the atmosphere would repel them, and they'd leave. Cade had seen it happen twice so far in the past couple of weeks. No one in the bar had done anything in particular to frighten the mortals away, it had just happened.
The other sort of customers were the immortal themselves, disguised in some way and not wanting to attract any sort of attention. They merely came to relax and have a drink. Cade had even seen a vampire one night, which startled him; but Eddie had said they were allowed so long as they followed the 'no drinking from the others customers personally' rule.
Especially the elves. Elven blood was like nectar to vampires.
Most everyone who knew Eddie as more than just the bar owner—and tattooist—believed he was a fantast: a mortal who was part of the Secret World, who could perceive the Reverie and maybe even travel the Astra. The man never said a word about it, though. Mostly, when he was here...like now, Cade thought, glancing at the heavily tattooed, slim, dark-haired man who sported a mustache and goatee...he said very little as he sat in the shadows at the end of the bar.
“How about another drink, handsome,” a female voice purred from the side of the bar.
Cade put a polite smile on his face and turned to Caroline, a semi-regular mortal. He wiped his hands on the black, half-apron he wore over his jeans and white t-shirt, the bar's "uniform." “Sure thing, Car” he said, grabbing the vodka bottle.
She was hot, Cade had to admit—curvy, honey-blonde, and almost as tall as he was. But he made it a rule to not hit on or screw the women that came into Eddie's. Mixing business and pleasure was never a smart move, especially when Kira came here as well. Cade had never gotten emotionally attached to the women he slept with, but had always enjoyed the sex and losing himself in the act. Then after a few hours it was goodbye darlin'. Strange thing was, sex and drinking used to be how Cade dealt with...well life and everything about it. But now it was mostly out of habit and for release that he sought out his not-too-frenquent sexual encounters.
Cade didn't allow himself to think too much about the reason...about who caused him to feel an unfamiliar sense of loyalty...as that would only lead to complications he didn't want nor need. He and Kira were friends. It was his job to protect her and fight by her side, that was it. He kept himself busy and occupied with his part-time job at the Den, as well as lessons, interactions with the eldritch, and hunting.
There was also an over-protective gargoyle-slash-police detective looming in the proverbial background.
“Can we get some pretzels here, Cade?” the male half of a couple at the bar asked, waving his hand.
Cade excused himself from the ever-hopeful Caroline and nodded, dashing her hopes yet again. “Coming right up,” he said.
“I'll get them,” Eddie said quietly from his end of the bar, glancing up from the bills he was paying. “You hold down the bar.”
Cade nodded his thanks, then saw the full-time bartender returning from his break. Tall, bald, wide shouldered, and dark-skinned, he was a good deterrent for any trouble that could possibly start in the bar. Once the snacks on the bar had been refilled, Cade headed out to wipe down tables and help out the waitresses.
A slight shoving match started up between a daeva and another customer who was a wanna-be goth, and drunk. Cade was right there in the middle before blows could be exchanged. Although the daeva was probably stronger than he was, Cade held out his arms between both men with his palms on either of their chests.
“Back it off, both of you,” he ordered. Then he made eye contact with the daeva, half warning half asking. The immortal could easily kill the other man. “You know the rules,” he reminded them both.
When the stringy, dark-haired guy took a half-hearted and sloppy swing around Cade, the young demon hunter lost his patience.
“Alright!” he said, voice raised in irritation. “Now you've pissed me off. Out you go, asshole.”
Cade shoved and dragged the guy by the collar of his fake leather jacket to the front door, past the elven bouncer...who was shaking his head and looking bored...and out into the parking lot. When the guy took a punch at Cade, he sighed. His fist contacted with the guy's face in warning and sent him sprawling on the asphalt, blood now running from his nose.
“You're done here,” Cade warned, his own as-yet unnamed immortal blood giving him some extra "badass" vibes. “This isn't the place to fuck around with, believe me.”
He turned his back without fear of retaliation, hearing the staggering sound of boots crunching on asphalt.
-2-
Kira came down the ornately carved, two-level front stairs and stopped in the foyer of the elegantly restored mansion she lived in. The old fashioned, red carpet runner that ran the length of the stairs and ended at the door protected the hardwood floor underneath. She glanced to her left into the large living room with antique but comfortable furniture. Ryan wasn't sitting in one of the chairs across from each other and on either side of a small table. She remembered how he'd been sitting there statue-still her first night here.
The night he brought her home after the orc attacked her. The night that was literally another lifetime ago.
Then she peered to her right into the mostly unused, formal sitting area. She didn't expect Ryan to be in there as they never used that room. But she looked anyway. Padding down the hall, her cheap tennis shoes squeaking quietly on the hardwood floor, Kira checked the library with its book-lined walls. Usually Ryan could be found in there more than anywhere. The dark haired young woman made the circuit of the house past the dining room and through the kitchen, although as a gargoyle Ryan didn't actually eat food and rarely ventured into the back of the house unless Kira was there. Finally she headed up the other hallway that led back into the living room; in short, making a circle around the large mansion.
“RYAN!” she shouted as loudly as she could. “I'm ready! Where are you!?” Her voice echoed in the large house.
He'd insisted on driving her to Cade's tonight, then he would meet them at Cassandra's adyta, the Tantalusi vampire's meeting place. Kira was lucky Ryan didn't insist she go with him—he was way overprotective sometimes despite the fact that she herself was part immortal. She also suspected he needed to feed beforehand. Besides, Cade was her partner—and was almost as capable of protecting her as Ryan was—and they needed to show this union to the other eldritch tonight.
Cade.
Kira sighed. When he'd first moved in after his run in and death/near death experience at the hands of the wer, Kira had been leery of the whole situation. But Ryan had been the one who invited him, and it was his house. She hadn't felt comfortable with him so close at first. Then she'd grown used to him living with her as they hunted and became closer as friends. She'd found herself disappointed when he'd announced he was moving out a few weeks ago. Ryan, however, had been more than supportive of the idea, overly so in fact despite his inability to show human emotion.
Kira had hidden her feelings from them both.
Suddenly a hand on her shoulder made Kira jump, her long dark ponytail whipping around. Instead of screaming, as she'd done her first full day here when this same situation had occured, she whirled around and kicked out reflexively.
Ryan Laurent stood before her dressed in his usual: short sleeved, button down shirt—light blue this time—with jeans instead of casual pants and a leather belt. Ryan merely stepped back effortlessly and raised his eyebrows questioningly.
“Who else did you think it would be?” he asked neutrally.
Kira 'hrmphed' and composed herself. “In our line of 'work' it could very well have been anyone,” she reminded him, “or anything.”
Ryan nodded briefly. “I see your point,” he conceded. “That's quite logical. Shall we get going? We do have a meeting.”
Kira rolled her eyes. 'Don't remind me' the gesture said.
They walked to the back of the house toward the kitchen and the back door. Kira gazed at the one locked door in the house, a door she'd never been allowed into yet. Ryan just kept repeating that he'd show her when he was ready whenever she asked what was down there.
Out the back door, the porch stairs led to the detached garage where Ryan's black '69 Impala was parked next to Kira's '69 Mustang—Ryan had a thing for vintage cars, although he'd had these cars when they were both new. Kira slid into Ryan's car and listened to the motor purr and rumble to life. They backed out and turned around. Heading down the long driveway, they exited onto Landry Road for the drive east into the city from the wild and secluded bayous of Landry Pointe.
The night he brought her home after the orc attacked her. The night that was literally another lifetime ago.
Then she peered to her right into the mostly unused, formal sitting area. She didn't expect Ryan to be in there as they never used that room. But she looked anyway. Padding down the hall, her cheap tennis shoes squeaking quietly on the hardwood floor, Kira checked the library with its book-lined walls. Usually Ryan could be found in there more than anywhere. The dark haired young woman made the circuit of the house past the dining room and through the kitchen, although as a gargoyle Ryan didn't actually eat food and rarely ventured into the back of the house unless Kira was there. Finally she headed up the other hallway that led back into the living room; in short, making a circle around the large mansion.
“RYAN!” she shouted as loudly as she could. “I'm ready! Where are you!?” Her voice echoed in the large house.
He'd insisted on driving her to Cade's tonight, then he would meet them at Cassandra's adyta, the Tantalusi vampire's meeting place. Kira was lucky Ryan didn't insist she go with him—he was way overprotective sometimes despite the fact that she herself was part immortal. She also suspected he needed to feed beforehand. Besides, Cade was her partner—and was almost as capable of protecting her as Ryan was—and they needed to show this union to the other eldritch tonight.
Cade.
Kira sighed. When he'd first moved in after his run in and death/near death experience at the hands of the wer, Kira had been leery of the whole situation. But Ryan had been the one who invited him, and it was his house. She hadn't felt comfortable with him so close at first. Then she'd grown used to him living with her as they hunted and became closer as friends. She'd found herself disappointed when he'd announced he was moving out a few weeks ago. Ryan, however, had been more than supportive of the idea, overly so in fact despite his inability to show human emotion.
Kira had hidden her feelings from them both.
Suddenly a hand on her shoulder made Kira jump, her long dark ponytail whipping around. Instead of screaming, as she'd done her first full day here when this same situation had occured, she whirled around and kicked out reflexively.
Ryan Laurent stood before her dressed in his usual: short sleeved, button down shirt—light blue this time—with jeans instead of casual pants and a leather belt. Ryan merely stepped back effortlessly and raised his eyebrows questioningly.
“Who else did you think it would be?” he asked neutrally.
Kira 'hrmphed' and composed herself. “In our line of 'work' it could very well have been anyone,” she reminded him, “or anything.”
Ryan nodded briefly. “I see your point,” he conceded. “That's quite logical. Shall we get going? We do have a meeting.”
Kira rolled her eyes. 'Don't remind me' the gesture said.
They walked to the back of the house toward the kitchen and the back door. Kira gazed at the one locked door in the house, a door she'd never been allowed into yet. Ryan just kept repeating that he'd show her when he was ready whenever she asked what was down there.
Out the back door, the porch stairs led to the detached garage where Ryan's black '69 Impala was parked next to Kira's '69 Mustang—Ryan had a thing for vintage cars, although he'd had these cars when they were both new. Kira slid into Ryan's car and listened to the motor purr and rumble to life. They backed out and turned around. Heading down the long driveway, they exited onto Landry Road for the drive east into the city from the wild and secluded bayous of Landry Pointe.
-3-
The soft light, muted colors, and freaking too-green plants didn't hide the fact that he was still in Dr. Nathan's clinic. The nurse who stayed with him overnight kept the door open so she could hear him, even though Hank damn well wasn't going anywhere right now, and the nurse knew it.
Not with his legs still busted up the way they were. Well, technically they were healed from his injuries but seemed to refuse to work properly, even after a month of being here. Granted it had taken him a couple of weeks to heal from his broken back, but Dr. Nathan had said he should be good as new by now.
Hank lay on his back staring at the ceiling with a scowl on his face.
Sometimes he didn't really know how the hell he ended up here—with a hair cut of all things—, when he'd spent the last three years living on the streets of wherever on his own.
Well, he knew how he ended up here, he just still couldn't believe it sometimes.
* * * * *
When he'd woken up in the strange bed after the unbelievable fight he'd witnessed—demons, elves, a gargoyle, a bear, a green haired woman, and some regular looking people—to find himself staring at the most gorgeous woman he'd ever seen, he'd freaked out a little. Okay, a lot. The woman had pointed ears, perfect skin and hair, and was injecting some blueish green liquid into an IV that was stuck in his arm. Hank hadn't been able to move, couldn't feel his legs, but had tried to act brave. The only person he could think of to help him was the dark haired girl that had tried to take care of him, the one who'd almost gotten taken by three men. He'd yelled and grabbed the leg of her jeans but had been in no condition to help her due to the pain he'd been in. Luckily others had been there to rescue her.
So Hank had demanded to see Kira. And when she'd come, she'd insisted he be told the truth when he asked why the nurse and doctor looked like elves.
* * * * *
Hank struggled to a sitting position and raised the head of the bed with the remote control. Having everything he needed—a television with DVD player close by; music, books, comic books, and game on a table within reach; snacks and water nearby; and a way to call his nurse—didn't seem to ease his angry feelings. Only having Cade and Kira visit him ever made Hank feel better. He really only talked to them.
At fourteen he knew he should be grateful to these people who saved his life, but all he wanted was to get the hell out of here and back to his real life. To be fair, it wasn't like they were keeping him here against his will. Dr. Nathan, and even Kira, insisted he was free to go when he was ready. Hank had every intention of forgetting about all the bizarre crap they'd told him about once he left.
Problem was Hank's legs seemed to have a mind of their own. Out of spite he pinched one through the silky sheets.
“Ow,” he whispered.
Not with his legs still busted up the way they were. Well, technically they were healed from his injuries but seemed to refuse to work properly, even after a month of being here. Granted it had taken him a couple of weeks to heal from his broken back, but Dr. Nathan had said he should be good as new by now.
Hank lay on his back staring at the ceiling with a scowl on his face.
Sometimes he didn't really know how the hell he ended up here—with a hair cut of all things—, when he'd spent the last three years living on the streets of wherever on his own.
Well, he knew how he ended up here, he just still couldn't believe it sometimes.
* * * * *
When he'd woken up in the strange bed after the unbelievable fight he'd witnessed—demons, elves, a gargoyle, a bear, a green haired woman, and some regular looking people—to find himself staring at the most gorgeous woman he'd ever seen, he'd freaked out a little. Okay, a lot. The woman had pointed ears, perfect skin and hair, and was injecting some blueish green liquid into an IV that was stuck in his arm. Hank hadn't been able to move, couldn't feel his legs, but had tried to act brave. The only person he could think of to help him was the dark haired girl that had tried to take care of him, the one who'd almost gotten taken by three men. He'd yelled and grabbed the leg of her jeans but had been in no condition to help her due to the pain he'd been in. Luckily others had been there to rescue her.
So Hank had demanded to see Kira. And when she'd come, she'd insisted he be told the truth when he asked why the nurse and doctor looked like elves.
* * * * *
Hank struggled to a sitting position and raised the head of the bed with the remote control. Having everything he needed—a television with DVD player close by; music, books, comic books, and game on a table within reach; snacks and water nearby; and a way to call his nurse—didn't seem to ease his angry feelings. Only having Cade and Kira visit him ever made Hank feel better. He really only talked to them.
At fourteen he knew he should be grateful to these people who saved his life, but all he wanted was to get the hell out of here and back to his real life. To be fair, it wasn't like they were keeping him here against his will. Dr. Nathan, and even Kira, insisted he was free to go when he was ready. Hank had every intention of forgetting about all the bizarre crap they'd told him about once he left.
Problem was Hank's legs seemed to have a mind of their own. Out of spite he pinched one through the silky sheets.
“Ow,” he whispered.
-4-
It was half-past ten when Cade signaled to Eddie he was taking off. He and Kira had an appointment. She'd be here soon, and he wanted to clean up. Cade started for the back of the bar where stairs led to the second floor apartments. He always felt a slight “pressure” as he crossed the threshold to the first step, but Eddie had avoided his comment about it in the beginning. Now Cade was so used to it, it barely registered in his mind. As far as he knew, none of the customers ever attempted to gain access to the upper level.
Opposite the door that led to Eddie's rooms, was another door that led to the apartments. Only the two of them had keys to this door. The others who rented rooms, either short or long-term, entered through the motel's front entrance that faced yet another street.
It was strange. He'd never really noticed the motel before Eddie had offered him a room in exchange for some help in the bar. Cade had been surprised to find out that the alley out back of Eddie Wolfe's tattoo studio was also the alley for a bar and connecting motel, both of which Eddie owned. The businesses actually fronted three separate streets, with the motel on a more out of the way side street. Once Eddie had told him the location, Cade had found the motel—but he'd sworn the other times he'd driven down that street, he'd not seen the building. Granted it was set back a ways and partially hidden by trees but still, it was on a street in New Bellwich's downtown shopping district, close to the river.
He'd been a little disappointed, though, that Kira hadn't seemed upset when he told her and Ryan that he'd be moving into town. She had grown quiet while he and Ryan talked about the advantages, and how him having a part-time legitimate job when he needed one would add to the money he and Kira received from working for the eldritch. Like the job that Jakob had paid Kira and Cade for, the one that had led to Kira finding out about her being part dragon. They'd tried to refuse payment as they hadn't found his stolen goods except for the one metal figure. Jakob had told them it was worth a lot of money. They didn't really believe him, but Ryan had told them to accept the payment or risk insulting the man and the spirit inside.
This bar job was really only for those times, of course, that they weren't battling demons or other forces of evil. Eddie understood and supported Cade's main job of demon hunting, even while willing to give him a place to live and extra money. Cade suspected Ryan had put the tattooist up to the whole thing—probably to get him out of the house—but as long as Cade didn't have to pay rent, he could deal with the plan.
Jingling his key on the chain he inserted it into the lock.
Opposite the door that led to Eddie's rooms, was another door that led to the apartments. Only the two of them had keys to this door. The others who rented rooms, either short or long-term, entered through the motel's front entrance that faced yet another street.
It was strange. He'd never really noticed the motel before Eddie had offered him a room in exchange for some help in the bar. Cade had been surprised to find out that the alley out back of Eddie Wolfe's tattoo studio was also the alley for a bar and connecting motel, both of which Eddie owned. The businesses actually fronted three separate streets, with the motel on a more out of the way side street. Once Eddie had told him the location, Cade had found the motel—but he'd sworn the other times he'd driven down that street, he'd not seen the building. Granted it was set back a ways and partially hidden by trees but still, it was on a street in New Bellwich's downtown shopping district, close to the river.
He'd been a little disappointed, though, that Kira hadn't seemed upset when he told her and Ryan that he'd be moving into town. She had grown quiet while he and Ryan talked about the advantages, and how him having a part-time legitimate job when he needed one would add to the money he and Kira received from working for the eldritch. Like the job that Jakob had paid Kira and Cade for, the one that had led to Kira finding out about her being part dragon. They'd tried to refuse payment as they hadn't found his stolen goods except for the one metal figure. Jakob had told them it was worth a lot of money. They didn't really believe him, but Ryan had told them to accept the payment or risk insulting the man and the spirit inside.
This bar job was really only for those times, of course, that they weren't battling demons or other forces of evil. Eddie understood and supported Cade's main job of demon hunting, even while willing to give him a place to live and extra money. Cade suspected Ryan had put the tattooist up to the whole thing—probably to get him out of the house—but as long as Cade didn't have to pay rent, he could deal with the plan.
Jingling his key on the chain he inserted it into the lock.
-5-
When Cade emerged from the bathroom he had only a towel wrapped around his waist. His skin was still damp even after using cool water in the summer heat. He thought he'd heard banging on the door and picked up his gun laying on the dresser, holding it behind the door. Granted, firearms didn't tend to stop most immortals, there were other ways he was learning to do that—but it would deter an unwanted human at the door.
He stopped short when he saw Kira standing in the doorway. Utterly surprised to see her so early, Cade said, “Uh...hey, Kira.”
Kira blushed slightly at the sight of Cade half...well, mostly...naked in the doorway. She averted her eyes slightly but couldn't help looking back. She attempted to look up into his face. “Yeah, sorry...Ryan had to, um, drop me off early. I could wait outside or in the bar,” she offered hesitantly.
Cade backed up. “Don't be ridiculous, come on in. It's fine.”
Like he was going to allow Kira to do either of those things alone. He turned to replace the gun on the dresser as Kira walked in and shut the door behind herself. Cade used the opportunity to grab a clean pair of jeans from the top of his dresser and roll a pair of boxers from the drawer inside them.
Kira's eyes roamed around the small apartment. It wasn't bad for a guy not even used to having a place to sleep for so many years now, but it wasn't Ryan's mansion, either. She'd never say anything but Kira missed having Cade in the house. Usually. But it did make sense to have a place in the city. The sofa bed was unmade and slept in, although it appeared to have been slept in by only one person. Kira mentally shook herself. God, that was none of her business. The rest of the room was a basic, simple room with a wall air conditioner turned on at the moment, and a small kitchenette with counter, two lower cabinets and drawers, sink with a shelf across the wall, short refrigerator, and room for a hot plate and/or microwave. Cade had both. A cheap coffee table was pushed to the side of the sofa bed, the TV rested on a table up against the wall, a small desk was tucked against a wall, and there was a dresser next to the bathroom door.
“Holy crap, Cade!” Kira exclaimed suddenly. “Your tattoos! This is the first I've gotten to see them!”
Cade froze for a moment as he actually felt Kira's warm, soft fingers touch his back, then they were withdrawn quickly.
“Eddie did a damn fine job,” Cade said, not turning around yet. “He did all that mumbling under his breath again, so I'm hoping they have magick in them like yours.” That almost didn't sound as freaky to Cade as it would have several months ago.
He'd been letting the additions heal before showing them to Kira, but this wasn't exactly how he had pictured it. He thought he'd at least be wearing jeans. It wasn't like she hadn't seen them before, or him without a shirt on, but still he only had a towel wrapped around his waist. He finally turned around to find himself looking down at the dark haired girl right behind him.
Kira tried to hide her sudden nervousness. After all she'd lived with Cade for several weeks. Granted they'd always been separated by several walls—as Ryan had put Cade at the other end of the hall—and had seen each other only outside of their respective rooms. She hadn't meant to touch him like that and so decided to just move on past the awkwardness.
“They look really cool,” she said. “I like the color additions.”
Kira met Cade's eyes briefly then looked back at his muscular chest and arms, and flat stomach. She tried to focus on the artwork on his body. The demonic anti-possession, pagan pentagram surrounded by a sun on the right side of his chest—one that Eddie had copied and expanded on for her on her right shoulder blade—now bore several more designs that blended in perfectly. And the pentagram was flaked with red. Cade explained red was for extra protection. The others--the eye of Horus; the Moon on the left and the Sun on the right on his left shoulder blade; a hand with an eye in the palm and two thumbs on his right bicep; and the other various, small tattoos that were all for protection were enhanced in some way. Now they were newer looking, and Kira could feel the power and magick radiating from the tattoos...just as Cade could sense hers when they were exposed.
Finally Cade made it back into the bathroom to finish dressing. When he came out, he felt less exposed and vulnerable, and more relaxed.
He stopped short when he saw Kira standing in the doorway. Utterly surprised to see her so early, Cade said, “Uh...hey, Kira.”
Kira blushed slightly at the sight of Cade half...well, mostly...naked in the doorway. She averted her eyes slightly but couldn't help looking back. She attempted to look up into his face. “Yeah, sorry...Ryan had to, um, drop me off early. I could wait outside or in the bar,” she offered hesitantly.
Cade backed up. “Don't be ridiculous, come on in. It's fine.”
Like he was going to allow Kira to do either of those things alone. He turned to replace the gun on the dresser as Kira walked in and shut the door behind herself. Cade used the opportunity to grab a clean pair of jeans from the top of his dresser and roll a pair of boxers from the drawer inside them.
Kira's eyes roamed around the small apartment. It wasn't bad for a guy not even used to having a place to sleep for so many years now, but it wasn't Ryan's mansion, either. She'd never say anything but Kira missed having Cade in the house. Usually. But it did make sense to have a place in the city. The sofa bed was unmade and slept in, although it appeared to have been slept in by only one person. Kira mentally shook herself. God, that was none of her business. The rest of the room was a basic, simple room with a wall air conditioner turned on at the moment, and a small kitchenette with counter, two lower cabinets and drawers, sink with a shelf across the wall, short refrigerator, and room for a hot plate and/or microwave. Cade had both. A cheap coffee table was pushed to the side of the sofa bed, the TV rested on a table up against the wall, a small desk was tucked against a wall, and there was a dresser next to the bathroom door.
“Holy crap, Cade!” Kira exclaimed suddenly. “Your tattoos! This is the first I've gotten to see them!”
Cade froze for a moment as he actually felt Kira's warm, soft fingers touch his back, then they were withdrawn quickly.
“Eddie did a damn fine job,” Cade said, not turning around yet. “He did all that mumbling under his breath again, so I'm hoping they have magick in them like yours.” That almost didn't sound as freaky to Cade as it would have several months ago.
He'd been letting the additions heal before showing them to Kira, but this wasn't exactly how he had pictured it. He thought he'd at least be wearing jeans. It wasn't like she hadn't seen them before, or him without a shirt on, but still he only had a towel wrapped around his waist. He finally turned around to find himself looking down at the dark haired girl right behind him.
Kira tried to hide her sudden nervousness. After all she'd lived with Cade for several weeks. Granted they'd always been separated by several walls—as Ryan had put Cade at the other end of the hall—and had seen each other only outside of their respective rooms. She hadn't meant to touch him like that and so decided to just move on past the awkwardness.
“They look really cool,” she said. “I like the color additions.”
Kira met Cade's eyes briefly then looked back at his muscular chest and arms, and flat stomach. She tried to focus on the artwork on his body. The demonic anti-possession, pagan pentagram surrounded by a sun on the right side of his chest—one that Eddie had copied and expanded on for her on her right shoulder blade—now bore several more designs that blended in perfectly. And the pentagram was flaked with red. Cade explained red was for extra protection. The others--the eye of Horus; the Moon on the left and the Sun on the right on his left shoulder blade; a hand with an eye in the palm and two thumbs on his right bicep; and the other various, small tattoos that were all for protection were enhanced in some way. Now they were newer looking, and Kira could feel the power and magick radiating from the tattoos...just as Cade could sense hers when they were exposed.
Finally Cade made it back into the bathroom to finish dressing. When he came out, he felt less exposed and vulnerable, and more relaxed.
-6-
“So...we ready to see the Eldritch Council at the blood suckers' house?” Cade asked.
He would never forget being tied up and hung by his arms just moments from being killed by the Tantalusi vampires. Granted, he did kill one of their bloodline, but he was a damn hunter of the supernatural and hadn't realized at the time that vampires were even real.
“Don't call them that...at least not to their faces.” Kira gave Cade a warning look. “And it's their adyta.”
Cade just laughed. “Just let me turn the air down,” he said, walking over to the wall unit. “No sense in running up the electric bill if no one is here. Grab the lights and door would you?”
Cade was looking down as Kira opened the door and flicked off the light switch. A small light in the kitchen still shone. As the lights dimmed Kira's gaze was drawn to the window with the blinds open. Being on the second floor with no other buildings nearby, Cade had relative privacy. Suddenly she saw something hovering outside of the window. It was exposed momentarily when the lights went out.
“Cade, look!” Kira exclaimed, pointing. She swore the thing was about the size of a pigeon with small arms and legs, but with a lizard head, wings and a thin, whiplike tail. Whatever it was darted out of sight in an instant. Kira thought it had resembled a miniature dragon but it moved so quickly she really wasn't sure.
“What?” Cade said as he looked first at Kira to see if she were in trouble.
“There was something outside the window,” she insisted, hurrying over. “It was staring inside when I shut the lights off.”
As she described it, Cade opened the window and swung the screen outward on its hinges. He leaned out and looked around but saw nothing. He drew back in, shaking his head.
“Well, it's gone now,” he said, shutting and locking the window back. In his now crazy world, he believed her. “Let's keep an eye out for it when we go outside,” he suggested. “I can't imagine who would send something like that to spy on us.”
Kira flinched at the disdain and sarcasm in Cade's tone but said nothing. Her lessons with Adrian had been only a few so far, with Cade in attendance; but she knew her demon hunting partner didn't much care for the other man. She wasn't sure yet how she felt about the immortal dragon, especially with his attractive adapan form and concern for her. At the same time she didn't want to alienate Cade.
He would never forget being tied up and hung by his arms just moments from being killed by the Tantalusi vampires. Granted, he did kill one of their bloodline, but he was a damn hunter of the supernatural and hadn't realized at the time that vampires were even real.
“Don't call them that...at least not to their faces.” Kira gave Cade a warning look. “And it's their adyta.”
Cade just laughed. “Just let me turn the air down,” he said, walking over to the wall unit. “No sense in running up the electric bill if no one is here. Grab the lights and door would you?”
Cade was looking down as Kira opened the door and flicked off the light switch. A small light in the kitchen still shone. As the lights dimmed Kira's gaze was drawn to the window with the blinds open. Being on the second floor with no other buildings nearby, Cade had relative privacy. Suddenly she saw something hovering outside of the window. It was exposed momentarily when the lights went out.
“Cade, look!” Kira exclaimed, pointing. She swore the thing was about the size of a pigeon with small arms and legs, but with a lizard head, wings and a thin, whiplike tail. Whatever it was darted out of sight in an instant. Kira thought it had resembled a miniature dragon but it moved so quickly she really wasn't sure.
“What?” Cade said as he looked first at Kira to see if she were in trouble.
“There was something outside the window,” she insisted, hurrying over. “It was staring inside when I shut the lights off.”
As she described it, Cade opened the window and swung the screen outward on its hinges. He leaned out and looked around but saw nothing. He drew back in, shaking his head.
“Well, it's gone now,” he said, shutting and locking the window back. In his now crazy world, he believed her. “Let's keep an eye out for it when we go outside,” he suggested. “I can't imagine who would send something like that to spy on us.”
Kira flinched at the disdain and sarcasm in Cade's tone but said nothing. Her lessons with Adrian had been only a few so far, with Cade in attendance; but she knew her demon hunting partner didn't much care for the other man. She wasn't sure yet how she felt about the immortal dragon, especially with his attractive adapan form and concern for her. At the same time she didn't want to alienate Cade.
-7-
Detective Ryan Laurent was in a hurry to feed. Normally he would have taken his time, but he had a meeting to attend...yet, by now he'd gone too long without the sustenance that truly kept him alive. At the same time, his sin-eating drove him constantly forward to his ultimate madness and death—the Horrification, a gargoyle's Torment that transformed his mind and body from that which does good to a monster of the darkness. As a gargoyle, the spirit inside him was both drawn to and repelled by the sins of mortals.
Either way, Ryan was damned.
He stood on the roof of a building, having reached the height through use of his black feathery wings, the wings that existed only in the Reverie. If anyone had seen him—which they hadn't as Ryan knew how to be cautious—he would have appeared to levitate into thin air. His high-tech, rubber flesh over a one-piece granite skeleton simulacrum was that of a dark blond, short-haired and blue-eyed, good-looking, mid-thirties male human which housed the Celestine spirit within. Dressed in his usual jeans and button-down shirt over a white t-shirt, black boots, and black leather duster, Ryan stared down at the crowds below him. His New Bellwich police badge was tucked into his front pocket and his gun was holstered under his duster.
Ryan closed his eyes and began to summon his full, monstrous form, letting it crawl from deep withing the Abyss inside of him, transforming his simulacrum. His fake blue eyes turned to a light gray stone color as his human-looking simulacrum faded into the Reverie through the magick of the gargoyle. What appeared was close to seven feet of dark, living stone—granite—with great, bat-like leathery wings which spread out behind as they stretched out.
And yet this still wasn't the true form of the celestial spirit, but it was the one necessary to feed the monster. The massive gargoyle with pointed ears and sharp, clawed hands and feet crouched down on the roof with a growl. Its ears twitched, listening, and its eyes turned glowing red as the creature studied the people below him.
The gargoyle's huge mouth opened to reveal stone fangs capable of biting through nearly anything as it inhaled deeply, sniffing out the sinners below. It had find one that was isolated, so when a female turned a corner that led away from the main street it used powerful legs to leap the distance between buildings. It silently followed for a few blocks until the woman entered an alley.
With huge wings extended behind—bat-like and leathery—the granite gargoyle lifted into the dark sky in a silent flight. The excitement of the coming feeding began to vibrate through its body. The lustful, darker side of the creature anticipated the pleasure of feeding, of the raw emotions that otherwise it was doomed to be denied. But deep inside where the good of the spirit of the gargoyle resided, the upcoming sin-eating repelled and tormented it.
The stone monster swooped down effortlessly, but instead of landing it reached out clawed hands and gripped the shoulders of the woman. The monstrous form fought briefly with his spirit inside to remain in control, for he wanted the feelings to be powerful tonight; to rush through his body and awaken his senses.
The huge creature, graceful despite being made of living stone, flew upward toward the roofs once again. Its victim was clutched against a chest of stone. The distance was covered so quickly that the woman barely had time to register or scream before she was trapped on the roof. The gargoyle wasted no time in grasping the woman's head between his flexible granite hands, but its touch was gentle with little pressure. The woman was unable to move, however.
The gargoyle threw its head back and opened its mouth, sharp teeth and fangs protruding, as the sin began to wash over him. The sinful memories the creature sought came slamming into his head in pulsing flashes of experience. Feelings and sensations, where usually there were none, shot through it as the sins fed the creature of stone.
It was as if the gargoyle was the sinner.
For the moment the evil inside the creature came forth and enjoyed the sin and violence. At the same time the spirit of good and protectiveness was utterly repelled by the sin and the sinner. The gargoyle also felt the need to protect others from this evil-doer.
The encounter lasted only moments before the gargoyle released the woman from his grasp. Both stood still for a moment, bodies vibrating with pure emotion. For at the same time the gargoyle had been eating the horrific sin, the woman had also violently relived the encounter and repented with shame and guilt flooding her body and soul.
She knew she deserved to die. She bowed her head before the huge creature from a nightmare. There was a heavy silence as the gargoyle listened to voices only he could discern.
“I pass on to you the Curse of Absolution,” the creature intoned in a deep, low voice—a voice that was soothing as well.
The woman felt the extent of her sin and accepted the curse, while at the same time feeling a release from her guilt. She felt completely forgiven. She watched the gargoyle nod as if it understood.
“You have been forgiven,” the gargoyle agreed solemnly in a deep voice. “I took on your greatest sin for you, to cleanse you. But it has been decided that you must pay penance, and your purification will be at my hand.”
Needing to hurry the end, the creature turned the woman to face the edge of the roof before she could fully comprehend and act. He gave a mighty shove. Her death would appear a suicide and give the gargoyle time to leave quickly. The emotions the gargoyle had eaten during the encounter were beginning to fade, and a vast emptiness was quickly flooding his soul. He retained only the barest lingering of the raw, delicious power of the sin. Soon all the feelings would be gone, but it would be fed once again...and one step closer to the Horrification and its own death.
Spreading huge black, leather wings, the stone gargoyle disappeared into the darkness of the sky.
Either way, Ryan was damned.
He stood on the roof of a building, having reached the height through use of his black feathery wings, the wings that existed only in the Reverie. If anyone had seen him—which they hadn't as Ryan knew how to be cautious—he would have appeared to levitate into thin air. His high-tech, rubber flesh over a one-piece granite skeleton simulacrum was that of a dark blond, short-haired and blue-eyed, good-looking, mid-thirties male human which housed the Celestine spirit within. Dressed in his usual jeans and button-down shirt over a white t-shirt, black boots, and black leather duster, Ryan stared down at the crowds below him. His New Bellwich police badge was tucked into his front pocket and his gun was holstered under his duster.
Ryan closed his eyes and began to summon his full, monstrous form, letting it crawl from deep withing the Abyss inside of him, transforming his simulacrum. His fake blue eyes turned to a light gray stone color as his human-looking simulacrum faded into the Reverie through the magick of the gargoyle. What appeared was close to seven feet of dark, living stone—granite—with great, bat-like leathery wings which spread out behind as they stretched out.
And yet this still wasn't the true form of the celestial spirit, but it was the one necessary to feed the monster. The massive gargoyle with pointed ears and sharp, clawed hands and feet crouched down on the roof with a growl. Its ears twitched, listening, and its eyes turned glowing red as the creature studied the people below him.
The gargoyle's huge mouth opened to reveal stone fangs capable of biting through nearly anything as it inhaled deeply, sniffing out the sinners below. It had find one that was isolated, so when a female turned a corner that led away from the main street it used powerful legs to leap the distance between buildings. It silently followed for a few blocks until the woman entered an alley.
With huge wings extended behind—bat-like and leathery—the granite gargoyle lifted into the dark sky in a silent flight. The excitement of the coming feeding began to vibrate through its body. The lustful, darker side of the creature anticipated the pleasure of feeding, of the raw emotions that otherwise it was doomed to be denied. But deep inside where the good of the spirit of the gargoyle resided, the upcoming sin-eating repelled and tormented it.
The stone monster swooped down effortlessly, but instead of landing it reached out clawed hands and gripped the shoulders of the woman. The monstrous form fought briefly with his spirit inside to remain in control, for he wanted the feelings to be powerful tonight; to rush through his body and awaken his senses.
The huge creature, graceful despite being made of living stone, flew upward toward the roofs once again. Its victim was clutched against a chest of stone. The distance was covered so quickly that the woman barely had time to register or scream before she was trapped on the roof. The gargoyle wasted no time in grasping the woman's head between his flexible granite hands, but its touch was gentle with little pressure. The woman was unable to move, however.
The gargoyle threw its head back and opened its mouth, sharp teeth and fangs protruding, as the sin began to wash over him. The sinful memories the creature sought came slamming into his head in pulsing flashes of experience. Feelings and sensations, where usually there were none, shot through it as the sins fed the creature of stone.
It was as if the gargoyle was the sinner.
For the moment the evil inside the creature came forth and enjoyed the sin and violence. At the same time the spirit of good and protectiveness was utterly repelled by the sin and the sinner. The gargoyle also felt the need to protect others from this evil-doer.
The encounter lasted only moments before the gargoyle released the woman from his grasp. Both stood still for a moment, bodies vibrating with pure emotion. For at the same time the gargoyle had been eating the horrific sin, the woman had also violently relived the encounter and repented with shame and guilt flooding her body and soul.
She knew she deserved to die. She bowed her head before the huge creature from a nightmare. There was a heavy silence as the gargoyle listened to voices only he could discern.
“I pass on to you the Curse of Absolution,” the creature intoned in a deep, low voice—a voice that was soothing as well.
The woman felt the extent of her sin and accepted the curse, while at the same time feeling a release from her guilt. She felt completely forgiven. She watched the gargoyle nod as if it understood.
“You have been forgiven,” the gargoyle agreed solemnly in a deep voice. “I took on your greatest sin for you, to cleanse you. But it has been decided that you must pay penance, and your purification will be at my hand.”
Needing to hurry the end, the creature turned the woman to face the edge of the roof before she could fully comprehend and act. He gave a mighty shove. Her death would appear a suicide and give the gargoyle time to leave quickly. The emotions the gargoyle had eaten during the encounter were beginning to fade, and a vast emptiness was quickly flooding his soul. He retained only the barest lingering of the raw, delicious power of the sin. Soon all the feelings would be gone, but it would be fed once again...and one step closer to the Horrification and its own death.
Spreading huge black, leather wings, the stone gargoyle disappeared into the darkness of the sky.
-8-
Kira stared out from the driver's window of Cade's huge, black truck. They were parked on a nearly empty street of the French Quarter across the street from a three story, brick apartment complex. Cade had chosen to park in the shadows so it would be more difficult to see them, while Kira had lobbied for directly under the safety of the bright street lamp where she could see everything. Her vote had been overruled.
The Tantalusi vampire covens' adyta looked the same as that night she first came here...when she discovered Cade about to be killed. She watched him also checking the building out. They hadn't been back since that night back in August when they'd been forced to spy on the wer for the vampires, or risk losing both their lives in different ways.
And they damn near died anyway.
The windows were covered on the inside with what seemed like heavy, black curtains. Without light shining through the windows and the whole building sheltered by the night's shadows, the effect was both frightening and lifeless. The balconies hung heavy with plants growing thickly toward the street, still mostly green cascading over metal railings; while ivy crept upward from the ground. Soon some of the greenery would turn brown and wither until next spring. Surrounding and protecting the building was a high, black wrought-iron fence. Kira craned her neck to see further up to the flat roof. There was another protective railing encircling the top of the building. Guards that they couldn't see were posted on the roof. They knew she and Cade were here, just like they knew everything that went on around their covens' meeting place.
“So, most of this block is owned by the vampire's, huh?” Cade asked.
Kira nodded in the dim moonlight that was cast down on them, then said, “Yeah. The Tantalusi own this half with their adyta, as well as a second building on the far side that is a nightclub for vampires.”
Cade hrumphed. He could hear the thumping of the music through in the night. “And unsuspecting morals, I would assume.”
Kira remembered thinking that very thing herself that night she came here. “So Ryan says. He forbade me from ever going in there...as if,” she scoffed. The last place she'd want to go is a club full of vampires!
“When I was here before...that one night,” she paused, glancing at Cade. She saw him clench his jaw, so of course he remembered. “I'd just been introduced to what it meant to be a Death Knell soldier in the fight against the demons. I was, to say the least, reluctant, although part of me wanted to help the innocent. But once I found you there, it seemed my life continued to move in that direction regardless of my own desires.”
Cade nodded. His own life had taken a sharp turn from the direction he'd set for himself so many years ago. Cade had quickly discovered that night that there was a council of immortals, eldritch they called themselves, and they protected the city of New Bellwich from demons and other dark forces. Cade's whole world had transformed in an instant, from thinking that only demons preyed on the world, to realizing there was another, secret world that existed. He had been plunged head first into the Secret World.
“I know what you mean. But here we are...and here we keep going.”
Kira had nothing to add to that statement.
A moment late she glanced again at the simple leather watch she'd had that night back in August and glanced out through the front windshield of Cade's truck to Ryan's empty, black Impala. He must have parked there and traveled through the Reverie for wherever he had needed to go.
“Where is Ryan anyway?” Cade asked, having seen the umpteenth time check by his partner.
“A little late,” Kira said. “He...well, I think he had to feed,” she finally admitted. It was mostly a guess on her part.
“Ryan or the...the gargoyle part?” Cade asked curiously.
Kira gave the young man next to her in the truck a meaningful and warning look. He'd eventually learned what it meant for a gargoyle to feed on the sins of others in more detail than what she'd tried to explain back when they were driving to Mississippi to help the elves close an extradimensional rift. That temporary vortex had opened between the realms...one of which had happened to be to the Netherworlds full of demons.
Cade shut up as he looked at Kira. “Right,” he said.
The whole good spirit helping/bad gargoyle feeding which would lead to the Horrification and violent insanity then death of the spirit inside Ryan was bad enough. But the fact that the resulting monster would be hunted and killed by his own kind was more than Cade wanted to think about right now.
He had vampires on the mind.
The Tantalusi vampire covens' adyta looked the same as that night she first came here...when she discovered Cade about to be killed. She watched him also checking the building out. They hadn't been back since that night back in August when they'd been forced to spy on the wer for the vampires, or risk losing both their lives in different ways.
And they damn near died anyway.
The windows were covered on the inside with what seemed like heavy, black curtains. Without light shining through the windows and the whole building sheltered by the night's shadows, the effect was both frightening and lifeless. The balconies hung heavy with plants growing thickly toward the street, still mostly green cascading over metal railings; while ivy crept upward from the ground. Soon some of the greenery would turn brown and wither until next spring. Surrounding and protecting the building was a high, black wrought-iron fence. Kira craned her neck to see further up to the flat roof. There was another protective railing encircling the top of the building. Guards that they couldn't see were posted on the roof. They knew she and Cade were here, just like they knew everything that went on around their covens' meeting place.
“So, most of this block is owned by the vampire's, huh?” Cade asked.
Kira nodded in the dim moonlight that was cast down on them, then said, “Yeah. The Tantalusi own this half with their adyta, as well as a second building on the far side that is a nightclub for vampires.”
Cade hrumphed. He could hear the thumping of the music through in the night. “And unsuspecting morals, I would assume.”
Kira remembered thinking that very thing herself that night she came here. “So Ryan says. He forbade me from ever going in there...as if,” she scoffed. The last place she'd want to go is a club full of vampires!
“When I was here before...that one night,” she paused, glancing at Cade. She saw him clench his jaw, so of course he remembered. “I'd just been introduced to what it meant to be a Death Knell soldier in the fight against the demons. I was, to say the least, reluctant, although part of me wanted to help the innocent. But once I found you there, it seemed my life continued to move in that direction regardless of my own desires.”
Cade nodded. His own life had taken a sharp turn from the direction he'd set for himself so many years ago. Cade had quickly discovered that night that there was a council of immortals, eldritch they called themselves, and they protected the city of New Bellwich from demons and other dark forces. Cade's whole world had transformed in an instant, from thinking that only demons preyed on the world, to realizing there was another, secret world that existed. He had been plunged head first into the Secret World.
“I know what you mean. But here we are...and here we keep going.”
Kira had nothing to add to that statement.
A moment late she glanced again at the simple leather watch she'd had that night back in August and glanced out through the front windshield of Cade's truck to Ryan's empty, black Impala. He must have parked there and traveled through the Reverie for wherever he had needed to go.
“Where is Ryan anyway?” Cade asked, having seen the umpteenth time check by his partner.
“A little late,” Kira said. “He...well, I think he had to feed,” she finally admitted. It was mostly a guess on her part.
“Ryan or the...the gargoyle part?” Cade asked curiously.
Kira gave the young man next to her in the truck a meaningful and warning look. He'd eventually learned what it meant for a gargoyle to feed on the sins of others in more detail than what she'd tried to explain back when they were driving to Mississippi to help the elves close an extradimensional rift. That temporary vortex had opened between the realms...one of which had happened to be to the Netherworlds full of demons.
Cade shut up as he looked at Kira. “Right,” he said.
The whole good spirit helping/bad gargoyle feeding which would lead to the Horrification and violent insanity then death of the spirit inside Ryan was bad enough. But the fact that the resulting monster would be hunted and killed by his own kind was more than Cade wanted to think about right now.
He had vampires on the mind.
-9-
Without warning something massive landed with a thud in front of Cade's truck. The ground shook slightly under the vehicle, and the sound was like stone falling on stone.
“Son of a bitch!” Cade yelled. “What the hell?”
By the time he flung his head around to stare out the front windshield, there was nothing there. But an instant later, an enormously tall, dark stone gargoyle was rising from where it had landed in a crouch. Massive bat-like, leathery wings were slowly folding down against its back.
Cade jerked back against his seat for a moment, staring at the expressionless creature he remembered from the battle against the revenants in Adrian's living room. Jesus fuck, even the second time seeing Ryan in his monster form was horrifying. At least he hoped that was Ryan.
“Uh, is that...?” he asked, staring at the stone eyes looking in at them.
“Yeah,” Kira answered quickly. Ryan's gargoyle form still appeared menacing and frightening even though Kira knew she and Cade were in no danger.
But as if by magic...or magick, actually, celestine magick to be precise...the gargoyle in front of the truck began to transform back into Ryan's simulacrum form. The pair inside couldn't help but blink at the bizarre merging of the two forms. Mere seconds later, Ryan stood staring at them for a long moment, quiet and solemn. Even though sadness was an emotion, and Ryan supposedly felt no emotions...or so Kira hoped, otherwise it meant the road to evil for a gargoyle...she could have sworn she saw sadness in his now blue eyes.
But she didn't. Ryan was experiencing the aftereffects of sin-eating and the rush of emotions he'd felt that were once again lost to him. Although he longed for the emotion he'd just fed upon, Ryan had regained control of himself internally, allowing the good Celestine spirit that he truly was to come forth and inhabit his simulacrum. He was fed and it would have to be enough.
There could be no more for as long as he could endure before feeding again.
Ryan watched Cade and Kira for a moment, seeing the emotions on their faces. He briefly wondered what it would be like to feel what they were feeling. Then he motioned for them to get out. Dressed as before, with his gun in his holster and his detective's badge in the front pocket of his jeans, Ryan led the young pair across the street toward the vampires' adyta.
“Son of a bitch!” Cade yelled. “What the hell?”
By the time he flung his head around to stare out the front windshield, there was nothing there. But an instant later, an enormously tall, dark stone gargoyle was rising from where it had landed in a crouch. Massive bat-like, leathery wings were slowly folding down against its back.
Cade jerked back against his seat for a moment, staring at the expressionless creature he remembered from the battle against the revenants in Adrian's living room. Jesus fuck, even the second time seeing Ryan in his monster form was horrifying. At least he hoped that was Ryan.
“Uh, is that...?” he asked, staring at the stone eyes looking in at them.
“Yeah,” Kira answered quickly. Ryan's gargoyle form still appeared menacing and frightening even though Kira knew she and Cade were in no danger.
But as if by magic...or magick, actually, celestine magick to be precise...the gargoyle in front of the truck began to transform back into Ryan's simulacrum form. The pair inside couldn't help but blink at the bizarre merging of the two forms. Mere seconds later, Ryan stood staring at them for a long moment, quiet and solemn. Even though sadness was an emotion, and Ryan supposedly felt no emotions...or so Kira hoped, otherwise it meant the road to evil for a gargoyle...she could have sworn she saw sadness in his now blue eyes.
But she didn't. Ryan was experiencing the aftereffects of sin-eating and the rush of emotions he'd felt that were once again lost to him. Although he longed for the emotion he'd just fed upon, Ryan had regained control of himself internally, allowing the good Celestine spirit that he truly was to come forth and inhabit his simulacrum. He was fed and it would have to be enough.
There could be no more for as long as he could endure before feeding again.
Ryan watched Cade and Kira for a moment, seeing the emotions on their faces. He briefly wondered what it would be like to feel what they were feeling. Then he motioned for them to get out. Dressed as before, with his gun in his holster and his detective's badge in the front pocket of his jeans, Ryan led the young pair across the street toward the vampires' adyta.
-10-
The small flitling...a shimmery bluish-green color...watched from the tree in which the seemingly diminutive dragon perched. Indeed about the size of a pigeon, he sat upright on a branch on his hind legs. His front legs held onto another branch with a whip-like tail curled around him. With the head of a lizard and small wings folded against his back, the flitling followed the movements of the female he'd been sent to follow. As the threesome crossed the street, the shimmery creature faded into invisibility and flew toward their destination, studying the situation to determine if he could follow them in and continue to spy.
-11-
“Do you both have your guns?” Ryan asked as they approached the ornate, metal gates of the building.
“You betcha!” Cade replied enthusiastically, wishing he could use his on one of the bloodsuckers.
“Yes,” Kira answered, then turned to Cade. “But they are confiscated just inside the door,” she told him, remembering. She saw Ryan nod once at her. “Even Ryan's,” she added as Cade began to get that stubborn on his slightly unshaven face, his jaw tightening.
Cade made a protesting noise. “Well, that's just not right,” he said. “In fact, it's just a damn bad idea all around.”
Ryan raised his eyebrows as he paused just before entering a code onto the numbered buttons at the side of the gate. “Be that as it may,” he said neutrally, “it is the rules for all who enter.”
Kira nudged Cade then pointed out the security camera that pivoted silently above them, angled down at their faces.
Ryan continued speaking. “I know you had an unpleasant beginning with the Tantalusi vampires, Cade,” he began.
Cade snorted. “That's putting it mildly,” he protested. “They only had me chained up ready to be killed!”
“To be fair,” Ryan countered, “you had killed one of them earlier that night. They were merely protecting their own and exacting what they thought a fair price.”
“Oh yeah, my damn life!” Cade exclaimed.
“And he didn't know then,” Kira interjected.
Ryan cocked his head. “If you wish to remain outside, Kira and I can take care of business...,” he offered.
“What? Uh uh, no way! I'm not letting Kira go in there alone...I mean, without me,” he corrected realizing what he was implying. “We're partners in this, we go together.”
Ryan nodded. “Very well. Then you'll follow the rules.”
Finally he entered the code and the double gates swung open, the hinges well-oiled and creepily quiet. There was no space above the gate for a window, it went from the sidewalk to the top of the arched brick at the top, and the metal of the gate was thick.
Kira recognized the dark, golden-skinned, bald male with bulging muscles and a fierce expression who stood aside to grant them entrance. He then clanged the gate shut behind them, the locking mechanism re-engaging with several audible clicks.
This time Kira didn't stare at the guard, who had African American features but unusual skin color. She and Cade now knew that when turned a vampire's skin pales from its original color, it became highly reflective and almost translucent. But she felt Cade tense up and almost push her from behind, as if wanting to physically confront the guard. Without thinking, Kira linked an arm with Cade's and wrapped the fingers of her other hand around his wrist as they followed Ryan.
The sudden touch surprised Cade. Kira wasn't one for too much physical contact unless they were in danger. This was more of a comforting touch to calm him down, he thought. The feeling of Kira so close did indeed reduce his anger, partly out of the surprise and partly...well, just because.
“Don't antagonize the vampires, Cade,” Kira whispered, remembering that Ryan had said much the same thing during her first visit. That time the golden-skinned guard had bared his retractable fangs at her, and she'd glared back instead of backing down like any sensible person would have.
They walked along a path of large stones through a startlingly beautiful courtyard lit with hidden lights. Although it was open at the top near the gate, the rest of that area was covered by arching tree branches. The remainder of the courtyard seemed like it was open to the night, but far up at the top story was a black canopy of sorts that shielded the vampires from the sun during the day. It was opened by minions on a regular basis because the courtyard contained several tall trees, a variety of green plants, and bright looking flowers, along with various stone rock formations and statues. The plants needed sun to grow so beautiful, a stark contrast to the night time existence of the vampires.
Ryan led the way as they wound their way through the lush and fragrant plant life to a black curtained covered entrance where a sliding glass door led into the building itself. The glass doors stood open in front of the velvet curtains. Heavy bass music pulsed from somewhere inside.
Kira was unexpectedly startled when suddenly a large, long-haired Viking held the curtains open. Sebastian—dressed in black leather pants, black button down shirt, and a casual, so-dark-purple-it-was-almost-black suit jacket rolled up at the sleeves—was Cassandra's second-in-command, or guard of sorts.
“You betcha!” Cade replied enthusiastically, wishing he could use his on one of the bloodsuckers.
“Yes,” Kira answered, then turned to Cade. “But they are confiscated just inside the door,” she told him, remembering. She saw Ryan nod once at her. “Even Ryan's,” she added as Cade began to get that stubborn on his slightly unshaven face, his jaw tightening.
Cade made a protesting noise. “Well, that's just not right,” he said. “In fact, it's just a damn bad idea all around.”
Ryan raised his eyebrows as he paused just before entering a code onto the numbered buttons at the side of the gate. “Be that as it may,” he said neutrally, “it is the rules for all who enter.”
Kira nudged Cade then pointed out the security camera that pivoted silently above them, angled down at their faces.
Ryan continued speaking. “I know you had an unpleasant beginning with the Tantalusi vampires, Cade,” he began.
Cade snorted. “That's putting it mildly,” he protested. “They only had me chained up ready to be killed!”
“To be fair,” Ryan countered, “you had killed one of them earlier that night. They were merely protecting their own and exacting what they thought a fair price.”
“Oh yeah, my damn life!” Cade exclaimed.
“And he didn't know then,” Kira interjected.
Ryan cocked his head. “If you wish to remain outside, Kira and I can take care of business...,” he offered.
“What? Uh uh, no way! I'm not letting Kira go in there alone...I mean, without me,” he corrected realizing what he was implying. “We're partners in this, we go together.”
Ryan nodded. “Very well. Then you'll follow the rules.”
Finally he entered the code and the double gates swung open, the hinges well-oiled and creepily quiet. There was no space above the gate for a window, it went from the sidewalk to the top of the arched brick at the top, and the metal of the gate was thick.
Kira recognized the dark, golden-skinned, bald male with bulging muscles and a fierce expression who stood aside to grant them entrance. He then clanged the gate shut behind them, the locking mechanism re-engaging with several audible clicks.
This time Kira didn't stare at the guard, who had African American features but unusual skin color. She and Cade now knew that when turned a vampire's skin pales from its original color, it became highly reflective and almost translucent. But she felt Cade tense up and almost push her from behind, as if wanting to physically confront the guard. Without thinking, Kira linked an arm with Cade's and wrapped the fingers of her other hand around his wrist as they followed Ryan.
The sudden touch surprised Cade. Kira wasn't one for too much physical contact unless they were in danger. This was more of a comforting touch to calm him down, he thought. The feeling of Kira so close did indeed reduce his anger, partly out of the surprise and partly...well, just because.
“Don't antagonize the vampires, Cade,” Kira whispered, remembering that Ryan had said much the same thing during her first visit. That time the golden-skinned guard had bared his retractable fangs at her, and she'd glared back instead of backing down like any sensible person would have.
They walked along a path of large stones through a startlingly beautiful courtyard lit with hidden lights. Although it was open at the top near the gate, the rest of that area was covered by arching tree branches. The remainder of the courtyard seemed like it was open to the night, but far up at the top story was a black canopy of sorts that shielded the vampires from the sun during the day. It was opened by minions on a regular basis because the courtyard contained several tall trees, a variety of green plants, and bright looking flowers, along with various stone rock formations and statues. The plants needed sun to grow so beautiful, a stark contrast to the night time existence of the vampires.
Ryan led the way as they wound their way through the lush and fragrant plant life to a black curtained covered entrance where a sliding glass door led into the building itself. The glass doors stood open in front of the velvet curtains. Heavy bass music pulsed from somewhere inside.
Kira was unexpectedly startled when suddenly a large, long-haired Viking held the curtains open. Sebastian—dressed in black leather pants, black button down shirt, and a casual, so-dark-purple-it-was-almost-black suit jacket rolled up at the sleeves—was Cassandra's second-in-command, or guard of sorts.
And he was a Viking, at least he used to be. This much Kira had found out after her first time here, with his heavy, straight dark blond hair, thick mustache, and pale skin. That made him very old indeed and one of the ancients, along with his Coven Mistress, Cassandra. Sebastian had reluctantly assisted Cade in dispatching a pair of wers who were hellbent on killing him during Cade and Kira's forced “mission” a couple of months ago for the vampires.
Ryan nodded once, without emotion. “Sebastian,” he said.
The big, blond vampire nodded in return, not as rudely as the first time. Kira noticed that he even glanced over at her and Cade with a slight nod. Was that an actual greeting? Kira blinked in astonishment but then the moment ended and they were ushered into a dimly lit hallway. Old fashioned electric lamps on the walls were turned on low, and the music was a little louder. The sounds of low murmuring voices drifted from inside a room further down.
Ryan was ready with his gun to hand to Sebastian as was Kira.
Cade needed a sharp look from Ryan before he reluctantly turned his over as well. The act physically pained him, but he suffered through it.
When Sebastian eyed Cade warily, Kira frowned and turned to face him. “Please tell me you don't have any wooden stakes,” she nearly mouthed instead of spoke.
Cade's eyes opened wide but he shook his head. “I'm crazy not stupid,” he barely whispered in her ear.
Sebastian shrugged at the exchange, then moved aside to allow them to pass down the hallway. As they passed the room where the music and voices were coming from, it was obvious there was a small party going on. Cade stopped to stare without realizing it. There was a pool table, shelves of books, a square table and some chairs, long curtains and the glow of a television on mute in deference to the stereo. There were people...vampires...lounging and walking around, among other activities.
Two of the vampires, one female and one male, were feeding off two mortal women. The women were scantily dressed and beautiful, sprawled out on a couch as if in ecstasy.
“What the hell?” Cade hissed in sudden anger as he nearly started into the room.
Ryan threw an arm out, a very strong stone arm that stopped Cade in his tracks. “They are willing donors, Cade. They are none of our concern,” he warned.
Cade looked at Ryan incredulously and pointed to two sets of shackles on the wall containing the limp bodies of a man and a woman, also human mortals, looking drained of blood. “And those two? Were they willing?” he snarled.
As much as Kira hated to see the vampires being, well vampires, in their own adyta it was no ones business what went on. She knew that. She didn't agree, but she'd learned the gentes had their ways and most were tolerated by the other immortals. What she or Cade thought made no difference to beings who'd walked the earth practically forever. She slipped in front of Cade, knowing Sebastian was watching. Kira pulled at Cade while Ryan shoved him along.
“We can't get involved, Cade,” she said in a low voice, hating what she'd seen. “As much as we hate it, it's not our business.”
“You condone this?” Cade snapped at Ryan.
Ryan shrugged. “It is the vampire way. The eldritch council does not involve themselves in such matters unless it puts us as a whole in danger of discovery by mortals. We are united against the demons, but that doesn't mean we agree with each others' ways of living. If you saw me feed, you would be equally horrified. Yet...I will continue. Now move on and do not speak of this again,” Ryan ordered.
Ryan nodded once, without emotion. “Sebastian,” he said.
The big, blond vampire nodded in return, not as rudely as the first time. Kira noticed that he even glanced over at her and Cade with a slight nod. Was that an actual greeting? Kira blinked in astonishment but then the moment ended and they were ushered into a dimly lit hallway. Old fashioned electric lamps on the walls were turned on low, and the music was a little louder. The sounds of low murmuring voices drifted from inside a room further down.
Ryan was ready with his gun to hand to Sebastian as was Kira.
Cade needed a sharp look from Ryan before he reluctantly turned his over as well. The act physically pained him, but he suffered through it.
When Sebastian eyed Cade warily, Kira frowned and turned to face him. “Please tell me you don't have any wooden stakes,” she nearly mouthed instead of spoke.
Cade's eyes opened wide but he shook his head. “I'm crazy not stupid,” he barely whispered in her ear.
Sebastian shrugged at the exchange, then moved aside to allow them to pass down the hallway. As they passed the room where the music and voices were coming from, it was obvious there was a small party going on. Cade stopped to stare without realizing it. There was a pool table, shelves of books, a square table and some chairs, long curtains and the glow of a television on mute in deference to the stereo. There were people...vampires...lounging and walking around, among other activities.
Two of the vampires, one female and one male, were feeding off two mortal women. The women were scantily dressed and beautiful, sprawled out on a couch as if in ecstasy.
“What the hell?” Cade hissed in sudden anger as he nearly started into the room.
Ryan threw an arm out, a very strong stone arm that stopped Cade in his tracks. “They are willing donors, Cade. They are none of our concern,” he warned.
Cade looked at Ryan incredulously and pointed to two sets of shackles on the wall containing the limp bodies of a man and a woman, also human mortals, looking drained of blood. “And those two? Were they willing?” he snarled.
As much as Kira hated to see the vampires being, well vampires, in their own adyta it was no ones business what went on. She knew that. She didn't agree, but she'd learned the gentes had their ways and most were tolerated by the other immortals. What she or Cade thought made no difference to beings who'd walked the earth practically forever. She slipped in front of Cade, knowing Sebastian was watching. Kira pulled at Cade while Ryan shoved him along.
“We can't get involved, Cade,” she said in a low voice, hating what she'd seen. “As much as we hate it, it's not our business.”
“You condone this?” Cade snapped at Ryan.
Ryan shrugged. “It is the vampire way. The eldritch council does not involve themselves in such matters unless it puts us as a whole in danger of discovery by mortals. We are united against the demons, but that doesn't mean we agree with each others' ways of living. If you saw me feed, you would be equally horrified. Yet...I will continue. Now move on and do not speak of this again,” Ryan ordered.
-12-
The trio following the vampire pushed through a set of leather padded double doors. Cade silently frowned. He remembered this room vividly. The room had no windows and dark beams crossed the ceiling. The polished wooden floor was laid out in an intricate pattern. A dark, antique wood table with black, velvet high-backed, cushioned chairs took up the middle of the large room. The stone walls in here also had shackles attached. Again, it was dimly lit. Damn bloodsuckers had a thing for minimal lighting. There was a whole wall covered with new and ancient looking texts,--bizarre tapestries hung on the walls, ornate rugs on the floors, and a stage type area with chains hanging from the ceiling.
Kira saw Cade staring at the chains where she'd found him hanging nearly unconscious her first time here, then turn away.
The eldritch council was already gathered and all eyes turned expectantly toward Cade and Kira. They both paused a moment after entering the room, all talking ceasing immediately.
“Damn, I feel like a bug pinned to a display,” Cade whispered, learning down against Kira's hair to barely speak into her ear.
“Shhh,” she warned, but she felt the same with everyone staring. “They can all probably hear you.”
Sebastian went to stand near the large table, while Ryan entered ahead of them to join the council, who stood loosely together.
Kira saw Cade staring at the chains where she'd found him hanging nearly unconscious her first time here, then turn away.
The eldritch council was already gathered and all eyes turned expectantly toward Cade and Kira. They both paused a moment after entering the room, all talking ceasing immediately.
“Damn, I feel like a bug pinned to a display,” Cade whispered, learning down against Kira's hair to barely speak into her ear.
“Shhh,” she warned, but she felt the same with everyone staring. “They can all probably hear you.”
Sebastian went to stand near the large table, while Ryan entered ahead of them to join the council, who stood loosely together.
Cassandra turned first, an arrogant, haughty look on her alabaster white face framed by fiery red hair. Blood red lips pursed almost thoughtfully, she stared at them with what seemed like curiosity instead of her former disgust.
Na'ethal, in elven form with his long, platinum hair braided down his back exposing his pointed ears and beautiful angular face, nodded formally. But his cobalt-blue eyes revealed a warmth directed at them.
Still wearing his own police badge over regular clothes, Detective Thomas Addison, a daeva, or mythic demi-god, stood with his arms crossed. The light-skinned black man with short golden blond hair and a mustache and goatee of the same color worked with Ryan Laurent doing what they could to protect the mortals while also protecting the immortals...and Kira and Cade. He, too, radiated support for the pair.
Bella, the messenger archangel of the Eighth Exalted Order who, along with Thomas, saved Cade's life after the Vargr wer mission, was present in her near-perfect earthly form: a gorgeous woman with long, stark white hair. Today she was dressed in a soft white, short-sleeved pullover sweater with white pants and boots. Her feathery white wings were barely visible in the Reverie, folded against her back.
The now-familiar forest spirit, the faery Eolande, gave Cade and Kira a knowing smile, her green-rimmed eyes bright and mischievous as usual. They hadn't seen the faery with the hair formed mostly of bright, green leaves since fighting the demons that had come through the extradimensional rift.
Although this was the Tantalusi vampires' adyta and covenhouse, the Eldrtich Council usually used it for their meeting place when they all gathered together. Otherwise no other immortals of different gentes were allowed. The members of this particular fellowship had had to overcome their fear, distrust, and sometimes hatred of one another, some longer ago than others. They had come together to defend their shared dominion, help the others survive, and work towards ending the coming of the Death Knell. Each had their own reasons for having joined. Kira had never asked just how long they'd been working together.
It was Ryan who called the start of the meeting. “We will now join at the table,” he said in a mostly emotionless tone. “There is much to discuss.”
Cade and Kira exchanged glances before reluctantly heading for the large, antique wood table. They sat almost gingerly on the black, velvet cushioned chairs that Ryan gestured them toward and found themselves sitting in the middle on one side, surrounded by the eldritch. It was intimidating, to say the least, and it took all of Cade's self-control to not get up and simply leave.
“As most of you know, although perhaps not Bella, we have in our possession a man who claims to be a brethren of something called the Sons of Belial,” Ryan began, then he continued to briefly explain, for Bella, how they'd come to capture him after fighting the demons coming out of the extradimensional rift.
“And he and the other two were attempting to kidnap Kira?” Bella questioned, wanting to make certain she'd heard correctly. “Do we know what they wanted?”
“Yes to the first,” Ryan answered, “and we're unsure of the second.”
Cassandra interjected, laying her long fingers, now with black nails, on Ryan's arm. She ignored the emotionless stare he gave her. “And through vampire...persuasion, shall we say...he declared that the Sons of Belial would not be stopped, that they would have the weapon to defeat the dragons. He claimed the Return would never happen, and the weapon that he referred to as a “she” would be theirs.”
“Is the prisoner still alive?” Thomas asked, leaning forward on his elbows.
Cassandra shrugged. “Probably,” she answered. “Although he's stark raving mad at the moment,” she added with a hint of a cold smile.
Bella frowned. “The Sons of Belial,” she breathed. “Do you know who they are?” she asked sharply, looking at Ryan then the others.
Na'ethal spoke up, glancing at the white-haired archangel. “We do now,” he admitted. He glanced at Kira apologetically.
Kira looked down at the table, at her hands, for a moment, remembering what she'd turned into that night at Adrian's. What she knew Na'ethal was obligated to now tell the rest of the council.
Eolande clapped her hands in childlike glee. “Dragons!” she exclaimed. “The Sons of Belial rose up against the proud primeval race of the draconis, forcing the dragons to kill and destroy, giving all back to nature. At least the dragons respected nature,” the faery added, as if that were the most important fact.
Everyone was silent for a moment, although they should have been accustomed to Eolande's crazy outbursts by now.
“Yes, well,” Thomas began, clearing his throat. “I'm sure this dragon history is all very, interesting...,” he said sarcastically, “but what does this have to do with us? With the fight against the demons?”
Kira glanced sharply at the daeva. He was so human looking and police-detective-like, that she forgot he was an immortal sometimes. At least with Ryan his lack of emotions made him stand out slightly even in his human form. Thomas' sudden animosity was unexpected.
“Oh!” Eolande exclaimed, narrowing her green-rimmed eyes at the daeva. “Of course, you would be the first to not want to speak of the dragons,” she accused.
Bella looked sharply across the table at the faery. “Calm yourself, Eolande,” she said softly, nonetheless. The forest sprite's inability to see that Thomas, as a daeva, wasn't personally to blame for the collapse of faeryland was something the green-haired faery couldn't seem to get over.
Cade was staring half in amusement and half in disgust at the potential battle that was brewing at the table. Weren't these people supposed to be responsible for protecting others and fighting demons?
“No, let her speak,” Thomas insisted, crossing his arms over his chest. “Let's hear the fey's version of my history.”
Ryan and Na'ethal spoke silently through a thought bridge for a moment, deciding to let the moment play itself out. Cassandra looked positively gleeful, and evil at the same time, at Thomas being taken down by the insane faery.
Eolande turned towards Kira and Cade. “Daevas...the eldest of all the human immortals! Hrmph! Utterly untrue...” she told them. “It is known that the faerie lived before the cataclysm, we are just as old. And we, at least, did not spawn the Azhi Dehaka. The Sons of Belial, merodachs, entwined themselves with ancient magick to steal and consume the souls of slain draconis to become dreaded monsters!” Then she pointed blunt fingernail at Thomas. “You would be wise to not admit of your ancestors,” Eolande said, her eyes narrowed.
Thomas leaned across the table, glaring at the faery. “The Ashura were merodachs but not of the usurpers of the dragons!” he said through clenched teeth. “My ancestors fled the dragon cities, while yours made deals with wretched demons lords to save Faeryland!”
“Only to save ourselves from destruction and decimation from your actions. You could have stopped them, how could you have done such horrible magick?” Eolande nearly wailed, her emotions exploding.
“You blame me for something I did not do, to excuse your weak king's stupid decision,” Thomas snarled. He was ready to grab Eolande by the throat and squeeze. “You live in the past but see it as the present, you cannot even tell the difference!”
Kira was speechless as this outburst by both the faery and the daeva, for she couldn't think of them as Eolande and Thomas at the moment as she'd never seen this vicious side of them. But the talk of merodachs, dragons, and some sort of dreaded monster, not to mention the destruction of Faeryland, caught Kira by surprise. She heard Cade softly blow out a breath in disbelief at the showdown.
“ENOUGH!” Bella stood and seemed to loom over the table, her shadow falling wider and further than it realistically should have. Her voice boomed for a moment, startling all into silence.“This ancient argument does us no good,” she warned, staring hard at Eolande, “in our fight.”
As an archangel, Bella had a war against the demons to win, and she had no time for petty squabbles.
Suddenly the leafy, green-haired faery seemed to disappear from her chair. There were two audible gasps, and several annoyed sighs.
“What the hell?” Cade exclaimed. “Where'd she go?”
“Nowhere,” Cassandra said, sounding bored. “She's pouting, but she's still there.”
“Eolande?” Kira said, leaning forward to stare at the empty chair.
Na'ethal nodded. His voice sounded slightly exasperated. “Faery have an innate power to alter their appearance at will, both subtle and drastic changes. This includes changing their flesh into textures and colors...Eolande merely changed herself to blend in with the chair.”
Both Kira and Cade stared across the table in shock and awe. Kira drew back slightly when two green-rimmed eyes appeared out of thin air in front of the high-backed chair. They blinked slowly two times, then remained while the rest of her stayed “invisible”.
Cade couldn't take the insanity anymore. He let his head drop and his shoulders sag, as his forearms rested on the table. “Just kill me now,” he muttered.
“Really?”
Cade felt a cold hand with long black fingernails dig into his forearm. He jerked up to find Cassandra smiling at him, her mouthful of fangs having descended, her four incisors the longest. Her eyes held anticipation and hunger.
“NO!” Cade nearly shouted, drawing away in disgust. “Jesus Christ!” he swore. “I wasn't being fucking literal!”
Cassandra leaned back in her chair, her expression bored now. She was also pouting slightly.
It was Ryan who guided the meeting back to order and on topic by standing and staring at the others until everyone was feeling awkward at his silence.
“If we may continue with no more interruptions until I finish...,” he requested, although it was really a demand. “Very well, then, I will be brief. We have discovered Kira is immortal, half Nibiru dragon and half merodach. A dragon, who has been hiding in adapan form in New Bellwich, revealed this to us and donated a small sample of blood to test for ourselves. He allowed Kira to witness the memories of the draconis, then told a story of a young female child born millennia ago put to sleep at the age of three by the Sons of Belial to later be used as a weapon against the dragons. As much as she wishes to deny this, it is highly probable that Kira is this child, woken up twenty years ago by the Sons and subsequently lost to them.”
It was Ryan who called the start of the meeting. “We will now join at the table,” he said in a mostly emotionless tone. “There is much to discuss.”
Cade and Kira exchanged glances before reluctantly heading for the large, antique wood table. They sat almost gingerly on the black, velvet cushioned chairs that Ryan gestured them toward and found themselves sitting in the middle on one side, surrounded by the eldritch. It was intimidating, to say the least, and it took all of Cade's self-control to not get up and simply leave.
“As most of you know, although perhaps not Bella, we have in our possession a man who claims to be a brethren of something called the Sons of Belial,” Ryan began, then he continued to briefly explain, for Bella, how they'd come to capture him after fighting the demons coming out of the extradimensional rift.
“And he and the other two were attempting to kidnap Kira?” Bella questioned, wanting to make certain she'd heard correctly. “Do we know what they wanted?”
“Yes to the first,” Ryan answered, “and we're unsure of the second.”
Cassandra interjected, laying her long fingers, now with black nails, on Ryan's arm. She ignored the emotionless stare he gave her. “And through vampire...persuasion, shall we say...he declared that the Sons of Belial would not be stopped, that they would have the weapon to defeat the dragons. He claimed the Return would never happen, and the weapon that he referred to as a “she” would be theirs.”
“Is the prisoner still alive?” Thomas asked, leaning forward on his elbows.
Cassandra shrugged. “Probably,” she answered. “Although he's stark raving mad at the moment,” she added with a hint of a cold smile.
Bella frowned. “The Sons of Belial,” she breathed. “Do you know who they are?” she asked sharply, looking at Ryan then the others.
Na'ethal spoke up, glancing at the white-haired archangel. “We do now,” he admitted. He glanced at Kira apologetically.
Kira looked down at the table, at her hands, for a moment, remembering what she'd turned into that night at Adrian's. What she knew Na'ethal was obligated to now tell the rest of the council.
Eolande clapped her hands in childlike glee. “Dragons!” she exclaimed. “The Sons of Belial rose up against the proud primeval race of the draconis, forcing the dragons to kill and destroy, giving all back to nature. At least the dragons respected nature,” the faery added, as if that were the most important fact.
Everyone was silent for a moment, although they should have been accustomed to Eolande's crazy outbursts by now.
“Yes, well,” Thomas began, clearing his throat. “I'm sure this dragon history is all very, interesting...,” he said sarcastically, “but what does this have to do with us? With the fight against the demons?”
Kira glanced sharply at the daeva. He was so human looking and police-detective-like, that she forgot he was an immortal sometimes. At least with Ryan his lack of emotions made him stand out slightly even in his human form. Thomas' sudden animosity was unexpected.
“Oh!” Eolande exclaimed, narrowing her green-rimmed eyes at the daeva. “Of course, you would be the first to not want to speak of the dragons,” she accused.
Bella looked sharply across the table at the faery. “Calm yourself, Eolande,” she said softly, nonetheless. The forest sprite's inability to see that Thomas, as a daeva, wasn't personally to blame for the collapse of faeryland was something the green-haired faery couldn't seem to get over.
Cade was staring half in amusement and half in disgust at the potential battle that was brewing at the table. Weren't these people supposed to be responsible for protecting others and fighting demons?
“No, let her speak,” Thomas insisted, crossing his arms over his chest. “Let's hear the fey's version of my history.”
Ryan and Na'ethal spoke silently through a thought bridge for a moment, deciding to let the moment play itself out. Cassandra looked positively gleeful, and evil at the same time, at Thomas being taken down by the insane faery.
Eolande turned towards Kira and Cade. “Daevas...the eldest of all the human immortals! Hrmph! Utterly untrue...” she told them. “It is known that the faerie lived before the cataclysm, we are just as old. And we, at least, did not spawn the Azhi Dehaka. The Sons of Belial, merodachs, entwined themselves with ancient magick to steal and consume the souls of slain draconis to become dreaded monsters!” Then she pointed blunt fingernail at Thomas. “You would be wise to not admit of your ancestors,” Eolande said, her eyes narrowed.
Thomas leaned across the table, glaring at the faery. “The Ashura were merodachs but not of the usurpers of the dragons!” he said through clenched teeth. “My ancestors fled the dragon cities, while yours made deals with wretched demons lords to save Faeryland!”
“Only to save ourselves from destruction and decimation from your actions. You could have stopped them, how could you have done such horrible magick?” Eolande nearly wailed, her emotions exploding.
“You blame me for something I did not do, to excuse your weak king's stupid decision,” Thomas snarled. He was ready to grab Eolande by the throat and squeeze. “You live in the past but see it as the present, you cannot even tell the difference!”
Kira was speechless as this outburst by both the faery and the daeva, for she couldn't think of them as Eolande and Thomas at the moment as she'd never seen this vicious side of them. But the talk of merodachs, dragons, and some sort of dreaded monster, not to mention the destruction of Faeryland, caught Kira by surprise. She heard Cade softly blow out a breath in disbelief at the showdown.
“ENOUGH!” Bella stood and seemed to loom over the table, her shadow falling wider and further than it realistically should have. Her voice boomed for a moment, startling all into silence.“This ancient argument does us no good,” she warned, staring hard at Eolande, “in our fight.”
As an archangel, Bella had a war against the demons to win, and she had no time for petty squabbles.
Suddenly the leafy, green-haired faery seemed to disappear from her chair. There were two audible gasps, and several annoyed sighs.
“What the hell?” Cade exclaimed. “Where'd she go?”
“Nowhere,” Cassandra said, sounding bored. “She's pouting, but she's still there.”
“Eolande?” Kira said, leaning forward to stare at the empty chair.
Na'ethal nodded. His voice sounded slightly exasperated. “Faery have an innate power to alter their appearance at will, both subtle and drastic changes. This includes changing their flesh into textures and colors...Eolande merely changed herself to blend in with the chair.”
Both Kira and Cade stared across the table in shock and awe. Kira drew back slightly when two green-rimmed eyes appeared out of thin air in front of the high-backed chair. They blinked slowly two times, then remained while the rest of her stayed “invisible”.
Cade couldn't take the insanity anymore. He let his head drop and his shoulders sag, as his forearms rested on the table. “Just kill me now,” he muttered.
“Really?”
Cade felt a cold hand with long black fingernails dig into his forearm. He jerked up to find Cassandra smiling at him, her mouthful of fangs having descended, her four incisors the longest. Her eyes held anticipation and hunger.
“NO!” Cade nearly shouted, drawing away in disgust. “Jesus Christ!” he swore. “I wasn't being fucking literal!”
Cassandra leaned back in her chair, her expression bored now. She was also pouting slightly.
It was Ryan who guided the meeting back to order and on topic by standing and staring at the others until everyone was feeling awkward at his silence.
“If we may continue with no more interruptions until I finish...,” he requested, although it was really a demand. “Very well, then, I will be brief. We have discovered Kira is immortal, half Nibiru dragon and half merodach. A dragon, who has been hiding in adapan form in New Bellwich, revealed this to us and donated a small sample of blood to test for ourselves. He allowed Kira to witness the memories of the draconis, then told a story of a young female child born millennia ago put to sleep at the age of three by the Sons of Belial to later be used as a weapon against the dragons. As much as she wishes to deny this, it is highly probable that Kira is this child, woken up twenty years ago by the Sons and subsequently lost to them.”
-13-
There were shocked sounds from most of the immortals, although Na'ethal remained silent. Bella, too, said nothing. She'd already known that Kira was immortal and created, from a previous trip to the Celestial Realms, but the information about the dragons was news. She'd been told nothing else at the time.
But really the news was so astounding that no one said anything for a moment. Kira glared angrily at Ryan for telling the council so much of her private business. At least, she considered it private.
Na'ethal look the opportunity to reveal that Cade also had immortal blood in him, traces of daeva and angel life force but something unknown as well.
Now it was Cade's turn to look pissed. He hadn't realized all their business was going to be laid out so abruptly in front of everyone. He almost felt naked. These eldritch couldn't even manage to keep themselves civil to each other, and now they had to know everything.
Suddenly there were voices coming from all directions: questioning, answering, speculating, and demanding for several long minutes, everything blurring together like so much noise. Even Eolande reappeared from being a chair and joined in. Kira was too upset to say anything, and Cade too angry. He felt like grabbing Kira and bolting, leaving the damned eldritch council to their arguing.
Thomas was the first to raise his voice. “I believe Kira is the weapon the damn Sons are seeking,” he declared. “It all makes sense. Our having possession of her will, at the very least, prevent the draconis from one day seeking their blood debt of vengeance against the humans, or the Azhi Dehaka from killing the remaining dragons.”
“Enough of the damned dragons!” Cassandra hissed. “You should be more concerned about the demons, Thomas. We have not one, but two, immortal soldiers,” she said, looking Cade up and down in a new way.
Cade grimaced. He felt like he'd been raped or something, but before he could say anything, the vampire coven mistress went on.
“We should keep her with us, Ryan. Surely you will agree a vampire coven can protect her better than one lone gargoyle and an elf.” Cassandra's voice was filled with distrust of the abilities of the current caretakers of the girl.
Kira opened her mouth to protest vigorously, but Ryan beat her to it.
“That will never happen, Cassandra,” he said neutrally. “Kira is not a possession to be owned. She is an immortal like the rest of us. Cade as well. They deserve our respect.”
“But she is! A delightful, dangerous, valuable possession.” Eolande said brightly, actually smiling at Kira as if this were a great honor. “She belongs to us, and we to her. Indeed she existed before we did, yet was truly born after. She exists in the past, the present, and is tied to our future and the future of the world. Our fate rests in her hands.” Eolande turned to Kira and nodded. “When you die you must not fear death. Your soul will live on, happy to be parted from the body that holds it back.”
“Wha...?” Kira began. The crazy faery was talking about her dying now? What the hell?
Cassandra, ignoring the girl, waved her hand dismissively at the forest faery, then stared at Ryan. “You are too close to her now, Ryan. You and Na'ethal have had your turn, now it's ours.”
Na'ethal leaned forward. The elf was more emotional that Ryan would ever be. “Kira will never live under this roof, Cassandra...nor anywhere there are vampires. You can count on that. We will continue to care for her.”
Finally Kira flew to her feet and planted her hands on the table. “STOP IT!” she yelled. “All of you just stop right now, do you hear me?” Her chest heaved with her anger and sudden shortness of breath. “Stop talking about me like I'm not here or like I'm some...some thing! I'm not this weapon! I'm only twenty-three years old, goddamn it!”
Cade held his breath in the silence that followed, muscles tensed and ready. Using only his bare hands, he'd kill anyone that tried to attack or hurt Kira. Even if he died.
Suddenly Kira's nails on both hands began to elongate into sliver claws, scraping against the wood of the table. It was anger and fear that were drawing them out of her, weapons to protect herself.
Cassandra peered casually at the proof that Kira was at least part dragon. She arched an eyebrow. “Ryan, Na'ethal, if you can't control Kira, then you surely will lose her. If not to us, then to the daeva. How they would love to possess an original immortal human,” she purred. “Perhaps they could make her a goddess as well as a Death Knell soldier.”
Thomas shot Cassandra a disgusted look. His kind did not simply take people and turn them into daeva. The demigods were chosen by destiny to become something more than human.
“Over my dead body,” Na'ethal replied first.
“That can be arranged,” Cassandra drawled, thoughts of elven blood almost making her salivate.
Behind her Sebastian grinned, his vampire teeth slashing down through his false gumline. The expression looked horrifying on his face.
“Enough of this!” Bella's voice rang out clearly. “There will be no threats against any of the council by another member, and that includes toward Kira and Cade,” she added.
Then Bella vanished, her mortal form dissolving into divine light as she entered the Reverie.
That was when Kira overturned her heavy chair in her haste to escape the madness.
She bolted for the entrance to the chamber, knocking against any vampire that got into her way. And now she had the strength to do so. It was only when she nearly tore the front gates off that she realized Cade was behind her. He grabbed her hand—which had reverted to its human appearance— when she slowed down, making her continue to run to the corner. The pair disappeared into the darkness of the French Quarter, slipping into the late night crowd of drunks, locals, homeless, and tourists.
But really the news was so astounding that no one said anything for a moment. Kira glared angrily at Ryan for telling the council so much of her private business. At least, she considered it private.
Na'ethal look the opportunity to reveal that Cade also had immortal blood in him, traces of daeva and angel life force but something unknown as well.
Now it was Cade's turn to look pissed. He hadn't realized all their business was going to be laid out so abruptly in front of everyone. He almost felt naked. These eldritch couldn't even manage to keep themselves civil to each other, and now they had to know everything.
Suddenly there were voices coming from all directions: questioning, answering, speculating, and demanding for several long minutes, everything blurring together like so much noise. Even Eolande reappeared from being a chair and joined in. Kira was too upset to say anything, and Cade too angry. He felt like grabbing Kira and bolting, leaving the damned eldritch council to their arguing.
Thomas was the first to raise his voice. “I believe Kira is the weapon the damn Sons are seeking,” he declared. “It all makes sense. Our having possession of her will, at the very least, prevent the draconis from one day seeking their blood debt of vengeance against the humans, or the Azhi Dehaka from killing the remaining dragons.”
“Enough of the damned dragons!” Cassandra hissed. “You should be more concerned about the demons, Thomas. We have not one, but two, immortal soldiers,” she said, looking Cade up and down in a new way.
Cade grimaced. He felt like he'd been raped or something, but before he could say anything, the vampire coven mistress went on.
“We should keep her with us, Ryan. Surely you will agree a vampire coven can protect her better than one lone gargoyle and an elf.” Cassandra's voice was filled with distrust of the abilities of the current caretakers of the girl.
Kira opened her mouth to protest vigorously, but Ryan beat her to it.
“That will never happen, Cassandra,” he said neutrally. “Kira is not a possession to be owned. She is an immortal like the rest of us. Cade as well. They deserve our respect.”
“But she is! A delightful, dangerous, valuable possession.” Eolande said brightly, actually smiling at Kira as if this were a great honor. “She belongs to us, and we to her. Indeed she existed before we did, yet was truly born after. She exists in the past, the present, and is tied to our future and the future of the world. Our fate rests in her hands.” Eolande turned to Kira and nodded. “When you die you must not fear death. Your soul will live on, happy to be parted from the body that holds it back.”
“Wha...?” Kira began. The crazy faery was talking about her dying now? What the hell?
Cassandra, ignoring the girl, waved her hand dismissively at the forest faery, then stared at Ryan. “You are too close to her now, Ryan. You and Na'ethal have had your turn, now it's ours.”
Na'ethal leaned forward. The elf was more emotional that Ryan would ever be. “Kira will never live under this roof, Cassandra...nor anywhere there are vampires. You can count on that. We will continue to care for her.”
Finally Kira flew to her feet and planted her hands on the table. “STOP IT!” she yelled. “All of you just stop right now, do you hear me?” Her chest heaved with her anger and sudden shortness of breath. “Stop talking about me like I'm not here or like I'm some...some thing! I'm not this weapon! I'm only twenty-three years old, goddamn it!”
Cade held his breath in the silence that followed, muscles tensed and ready. Using only his bare hands, he'd kill anyone that tried to attack or hurt Kira. Even if he died.
Suddenly Kira's nails on both hands began to elongate into sliver claws, scraping against the wood of the table. It was anger and fear that were drawing them out of her, weapons to protect herself.
Cassandra peered casually at the proof that Kira was at least part dragon. She arched an eyebrow. “Ryan, Na'ethal, if you can't control Kira, then you surely will lose her. If not to us, then to the daeva. How they would love to possess an original immortal human,” she purred. “Perhaps they could make her a goddess as well as a Death Knell soldier.”
Thomas shot Cassandra a disgusted look. His kind did not simply take people and turn them into daeva. The demigods were chosen by destiny to become something more than human.
“Over my dead body,” Na'ethal replied first.
“That can be arranged,” Cassandra drawled, thoughts of elven blood almost making her salivate.
Behind her Sebastian grinned, his vampire teeth slashing down through his false gumline. The expression looked horrifying on his face.
“Enough of this!” Bella's voice rang out clearly. “There will be no threats against any of the council by another member, and that includes toward Kira and Cade,” she added.
Then Bella vanished, her mortal form dissolving into divine light as she entered the Reverie.
That was when Kira overturned her heavy chair in her haste to escape the madness.
She bolted for the entrance to the chamber, knocking against any vampire that got into her way. And now she had the strength to do so. It was only when she nearly tore the front gates off that she realized Cade was behind her. He grabbed her hand—which had reverted to its human appearance— when she slowed down, making her continue to run to the corner. The pair disappeared into the darkness of the French Quarter, slipping into the late night crowd of drunks, locals, homeless, and tourists.
-14-
In the Seven Heavens, Bella emerged into a mist-filled space on the fifth dimensional level, the home of the angels. She had transubstantiated into her celestial form, a form that was impossible to comprehend from the human point of view or even be seen by humans. Like all archangels, it was a seven-dimensional, star-like beacon of divine light and brilliant colors rather than a physical body...and unique from all the others. There was nothing around her, no walls nor furniture, nor even a door...yet it was considered a meeting room of sorts for the angels.
Bella had come home via the beth-el, the celestial passageway she'd opened in Cassandra's adyta after disappearing into the Reverie, to the Celestial Realm for answers. Along the way she had summoned the angel she wished to speak to. The cherubim, one of God's watchers over the world, was waiting for her, also in his celestial form: a dimensionless presence covered with thousands of watchful eyes.
Greetings, Morning Star, Zophiel transmitted in Enochian his use of the general yet respectful name of the archangels through the mist without speaking.
As an archangel, Bella held a special place within the hierarchy of Exalted Orders. Although she oversaw a few other angels, such as Jareth, she was mostly independent and served the Divine in the fight against the Death Knell.
Bella gave off a respectful aura toward the cherubim. If anyone would have answers, it would be Zophiel, and today she would accept nothing but the truth.
The girl, Kira, tell me what you know, she demanded in the language of the angels. There must be something more about her. I need all the information this time! The council is being distracted from the fight against demons by all this talk of dragons, weapons, and Kira's, and now Cade's, immortal status. The council has become more about them than fighting the demons. I cannot serve the Divine in the Death Knell when the eldritchs' attention is not focused on the war.
Zophiel knew who “Kira” was and which eldritch council Arabella was speaking of. He had access to all knowledge that God willed him to possess. The cherubim didn't know how he knew the answers, but only that the Voice through the will of the Divine had told him long ago.
I know only what God wishes me to know, Zophiel said, but He has bestowed the information you seek upon me. It is time you knew as well.
Damn straight, Bella replied. Time spent on the earthly plane tended to make her act more human than angel sometimes even when she was back in the Celestrial Realms.
The information she sought was instantly a part of her memories, then the Watcher angel disappeared; and Bella was part horrified and part in awe. She again found herself atop Mt. Everest in her angelic form. At least it was the great mountain located in the Reverie not the Real World. It was still bitterly cold with biting winds and very little oxygen; but since neither affected the archangel, she didn't seem to notice the fierce winds whipping at her long, white hair and wings, and her robes.
Bella had come home via the beth-el, the celestial passageway she'd opened in Cassandra's adyta after disappearing into the Reverie, to the Celestial Realm for answers. Along the way she had summoned the angel she wished to speak to. The cherubim, one of God's watchers over the world, was waiting for her, also in his celestial form: a dimensionless presence covered with thousands of watchful eyes.
Greetings, Morning Star, Zophiel transmitted in Enochian his use of the general yet respectful name of the archangels through the mist without speaking.
As an archangel, Bella held a special place within the hierarchy of Exalted Orders. Although she oversaw a few other angels, such as Jareth, she was mostly independent and served the Divine in the fight against the Death Knell.
Bella gave off a respectful aura toward the cherubim. If anyone would have answers, it would be Zophiel, and today she would accept nothing but the truth.
The girl, Kira, tell me what you know, she demanded in the language of the angels. There must be something more about her. I need all the information this time! The council is being distracted from the fight against demons by all this talk of dragons, weapons, and Kira's, and now Cade's, immortal status. The council has become more about them than fighting the demons. I cannot serve the Divine in the Death Knell when the eldritchs' attention is not focused on the war.
Zophiel knew who “Kira” was and which eldritch council Arabella was speaking of. He had access to all knowledge that God willed him to possess. The cherubim didn't know how he knew the answers, but only that the Voice through the will of the Divine had told him long ago.
I know only what God wishes me to know, Zophiel said, but He has bestowed the information you seek upon me. It is time you knew as well.
Damn straight, Bella replied. Time spent on the earthly plane tended to make her act more human than angel sometimes even when she was back in the Celestrial Realms.
The information she sought was instantly a part of her memories, then the Watcher angel disappeared; and Bella was part horrified and part in awe. She again found herself atop Mt. Everest in her angelic form. At least it was the great mountain located in the Reverie not the Real World. It was still bitterly cold with biting winds and very little oxygen; but since neither affected the archangel, she didn't seem to notice the fierce winds whipping at her long, white hair and wings, and her robes.
While she'd learned previously that Kira had been created, and it was her job to keep the girl safe yet trained in the ways of a Death Knell warrior against the demons, Bella now possessed more startling information than she could have expected. She should have had this information long ago, so that had pissed her off; but the depth of what she'd learned almost too overwhelming even for her. The angels of Heaven had been fighting the demons for eons in order to save humanity; but now Bella knew that some angels were also working with the Elder Lords to stop the Death Knell. Or rather, the Elder Lords were doing what they could to assist the angels.
As she paced the mountain top, Bella worked on wrapping her mind around how convoluted the demon war had become. The Elder Lords, a race of alien entities of immense power had come to earth too far back in time to contemplate, bringing with them—or giving birth to, depending on who was telling the history—the slave race of the djinn. Some of the djinn switched sides and became loyal to the Old Ones. The Elder Lords eventually overthrew the Old Ones, who had existed even before humankind during some primordial period, and cast them into the Void, an “empty quarter” between dimensions. They marked the prison and shut it with their sign and seals, locking the space with Voidkeys.
Some of the djinn were now actively searching for these keys, which might be people, places, or things, no one was certain...and their true nature and whereabouts remained a mystery. These djinn were seeking to release the Old Ones from their imprisonment and unleash their wrath upon humanity.
For now, the Elder Lords were assisting the angels in fighting the demons for the simple fact that the angels could help the Elder Lords in preventing the Old Ones from escaping. This was apparently possible with the help of the djinn and the Keys to the Void. The fact that the Elder Lords had given their magick to the merodachs to help create Kira didn't interest them, a fact that Bella was at least grateful for.
That would be one less group vying to gain control of the girl.
But Kira did interest the angels...a great deal in fact. The Divine wanted to use Kira as a weapon, first uniting the immortal gentes to fight against Doomsday...the end of the age of magick and the end of time for all eldritch, not to mention the end of all life on earth if things went really wrong. If that weren't epic enough, the Divine then planned to use the girl to wipe out the demons and prevent the Final Battle. This epic conflict between between the daeva and the demons would end the age of magick, but instead of ending all life it would usher in a new age of myth. Humans would survive but most eldritch would perish.
Bella shook her head at the massive complexity of it all. If angels could get headaches, her head would be pounding. Not only did she have demons to fight, and immortals to keep together; but now Bella had to keep Kira and Cade alive and working together, as well as worry about djinn, Old Ones, Void keys, and the end of the whole damn world.
The final straw, in human terms, was that she finally found out what Cade was a key to...he was one of the Void keys that the djinn would kill to get their hands on. Of course, if he and Kira couldn't prevent Doomsday or the Final Battle, being a key would be the least of Cade's worries. And the archangel wasn't allowed to tell anyone what she'd learned; yet if one aspect of this multi-layered plan of the Divine went wrong, the results could be disastrous.
But Bella was in agreement with the angels' plan, now that she was aware of it. Not even the sacrifice at the end would change her mind. The Death Knell must be stopped. The demons must be stopped. It was inevitable that there would be losses along the way.
Bella realized she couldn't do this alone. As much as she suspected it might be a dangerous idea because of his feelings for the girl, she would have to recall Jareth and reinstate him as Kira's guardian angel. Bella knew Kira wouldn't trust anyone else if she were to need help.
The archangel decided her presence back at the meeting might be a good thing right now. She vanished back into the celestial passageway, the beth-el, that she'd used to descend from the celestial realm and headed for the Tantalusi vampires' adyta.
As she paced the mountain top, Bella worked on wrapping her mind around how convoluted the demon war had become. The Elder Lords, a race of alien entities of immense power had come to earth too far back in time to contemplate, bringing with them—or giving birth to, depending on who was telling the history—the slave race of the djinn. Some of the djinn switched sides and became loyal to the Old Ones. The Elder Lords eventually overthrew the Old Ones, who had existed even before humankind during some primordial period, and cast them into the Void, an “empty quarter” between dimensions. They marked the prison and shut it with their sign and seals, locking the space with Voidkeys.
Some of the djinn were now actively searching for these keys, which might be people, places, or things, no one was certain...and their true nature and whereabouts remained a mystery. These djinn were seeking to release the Old Ones from their imprisonment and unleash their wrath upon humanity.
For now, the Elder Lords were assisting the angels in fighting the demons for the simple fact that the angels could help the Elder Lords in preventing the Old Ones from escaping. This was apparently possible with the help of the djinn and the Keys to the Void. The fact that the Elder Lords had given their magick to the merodachs to help create Kira didn't interest them, a fact that Bella was at least grateful for.
That would be one less group vying to gain control of the girl.
But Kira did interest the angels...a great deal in fact. The Divine wanted to use Kira as a weapon, first uniting the immortal gentes to fight against Doomsday...the end of the age of magick and the end of time for all eldritch, not to mention the end of all life on earth if things went really wrong. If that weren't epic enough, the Divine then planned to use the girl to wipe out the demons and prevent the Final Battle. This epic conflict between between the daeva and the demons would end the age of magick, but instead of ending all life it would usher in a new age of myth. Humans would survive but most eldritch would perish.
Bella shook her head at the massive complexity of it all. If angels could get headaches, her head would be pounding. Not only did she have demons to fight, and immortals to keep together; but now Bella had to keep Kira and Cade alive and working together, as well as worry about djinn, Old Ones, Void keys, and the end of the whole damn world.
The final straw, in human terms, was that she finally found out what Cade was a key to...he was one of the Void keys that the djinn would kill to get their hands on. Of course, if he and Kira couldn't prevent Doomsday or the Final Battle, being a key would be the least of Cade's worries. And the archangel wasn't allowed to tell anyone what she'd learned; yet if one aspect of this multi-layered plan of the Divine went wrong, the results could be disastrous.
But Bella was in agreement with the angels' plan, now that she was aware of it. Not even the sacrifice at the end would change her mind. The Death Knell must be stopped. The demons must be stopped. It was inevitable that there would be losses along the way.
Bella realized she couldn't do this alone. As much as she suspected it might be a dangerous idea because of his feelings for the girl, she would have to recall Jareth and reinstate him as Kira's guardian angel. Bella knew Kira wouldn't trust anyone else if she were to need help.
The archangel decided her presence back at the meeting might be a good thing right now. She vanished back into the celestial passageway, the beth-el, that she'd used to descend from the celestial realm and headed for the Tantalusi vampires' adyta.
-15-
After midnight,
Friday:
The late night's revelries in the French Quarter Market—the crowds, made up of tourists and locals either drunk or sightseeing, wandered along the sidewalks or spilled onto closed off streets; the bars and restaurants full of sounds, smells, and crowded with people; the lights, both neon signs and muted lamps through closed curtains; the different types of music mingling together—swallowed Cade and Kira into its anonymous embrace.
After running the first few blocks past two story, balconied homes and apartments, built so close together as to seem one and flowing over with green vines and flowers in large pots, they had slowed down once they felt far enough away from the vampires' adyta to feel safe. Kira's initial anger had spent itself, although she was still pissed about the eldritch council meeting. Cade, too, had been silent with annoyance and concern for Kira. Then they began ranting to each other to get the frustrations out of their systems as they lost themselves in the jostling crowds and general celebratory atmosphere of their party-atmosphere surroundings. They hardly felt the unusually warm fall night, although it was beginning to cool down.
The young demon hunters also found themselves keeping to the shadows, moving confidently and securely. They had their guns and knives tucked under their shirts, thanks to Cade having snatched the weapons on his way out of the adyta; they had their demon hunting skills; and they had each other.
It was at the end of the block, a few blocks from the Mississippi River, that Cade spotted the funky looking bookstore. Built on the sloped sidewalk, the store seemed to be made up of two smaller buildings, with two doors next to each other. It was painted turquoise and trimmed in yellow, red, and a rich teal blue with windows crammed with books.
Friday:
The late night's revelries in the French Quarter Market—the crowds, made up of tourists and locals either drunk or sightseeing, wandered along the sidewalks or spilled onto closed off streets; the bars and restaurants full of sounds, smells, and crowded with people; the lights, both neon signs and muted lamps through closed curtains; the different types of music mingling together—swallowed Cade and Kira into its anonymous embrace.
After running the first few blocks past two story, balconied homes and apartments, built so close together as to seem one and flowing over with green vines and flowers in large pots, they had slowed down once they felt far enough away from the vampires' adyta to feel safe. Kira's initial anger had spent itself, although she was still pissed about the eldritch council meeting. Cade, too, had been silent with annoyance and concern for Kira. Then they began ranting to each other to get the frustrations out of their systems as they lost themselves in the jostling crowds and general celebratory atmosphere of their party-atmosphere surroundings. They hardly felt the unusually warm fall night, although it was beginning to cool down.
The young demon hunters also found themselves keeping to the shadows, moving confidently and securely. They had their guns and knives tucked under their shirts, thanks to Cade having snatched the weapons on his way out of the adyta; they had their demon hunting skills; and they had each other.
It was at the end of the block, a few blocks from the Mississippi River, that Cade spotted the funky looking bookstore. Built on the sloped sidewalk, the store seemed to be made up of two smaller buildings, with two doors next to each other. It was painted turquoise and trimmed in yellow, red, and a rich teal blue with windows crammed with books.
“Do you mind?” Cade suddenly asked, stopping and grabbing for Kira's arm. He gestured to the well-lit bookstore.
Surprise flitted across Kira's face, partially at Cade being interested in a bookstore—although she'd never say that aloud to him because she was thrilled to learn this about him—and partially at the feeling of being drawn into the store herself. They both glanced around cautiously and saw nothing but the crowds of people. It did seem a little odd that the sidewalk in front of the store seemed more empty than the rest of the street.
“Sure,” Kira said with a nod. “Might be fun...better than sitting with a bunch of arrogant immortals who act like asses,” she added with a grimace.
They chose one of the doors at random and entered. Neither mentioned contacting anyone to let them know they were alright, not caring at the moment whether they were causing concern or not.
Surprise flitted across Kira's face, partially at Cade being interested in a bookstore—although she'd never say that aloud to him because she was thrilled to learn this about him—and partially at the feeling of being drawn into the store herself. They both glanced around cautiously and saw nothing but the crowds of people. It did seem a little odd that the sidewalk in front of the store seemed more empty than the rest of the street.
“Sure,” Kira said with a nod. “Might be fun...better than sitting with a bunch of arrogant immortals who act like asses,” she added with a grimace.
They chose one of the doors at random and entered. Neither mentioned contacting anyone to let them know they were alright, not caring at the moment whether they were causing concern or not.
-16-
Across the street a figure slunk out of the shadows. Actually it seemed to materialize out of thin air, having been invisible. The vampire had been sent by Cassandra to follow when emotions had run rampant, and Cade and Kira had bolted. Pandora was usually sent out on spy missions, having the nekrosia of invisibility. Her abilities were best suited for slightly populated areas as she could still be heard, felt, and, unfortunately, left footprints. Her invisibility was more of refracting light rays than truly disappearing. However, it had been easy enough to follow the young immortals from the rooftops, then move into a less populated spot across the street from where they stopped.
Pandora was instructed to watch, nothing more...merely keep an eye on the council's soldiers and report only if they were in danger.
Pandora was instructed to watch, nothing more...merely keep an eye on the council's soldiers and report only if they were in danger.
-17-
Behind the books in the windows was a large room that seemed the size of the building outside. The lights were dim and the high shelves of the well-worn bookcases were crammed full of old books laying in all directions. Some looked ready to topple over. Several large, comfortable chairs were scattered around the room with floor lamps casting a warm glow. Small tables held abandoned books but seemed to welcome more being piled on if one wished to sit and read. It was a cozy, warm, and inviting place complete with several customers relaxing. An old man with white hair, a beard and mustache slouched behind a counter.
Cade nodded as he and Kira passed. The old man merely watched them with a slight tilt of his head, then went back to his book.
“Look,” Kira whispered. “What's that?” She was pointing to a hallway they'd not noticed at first, to a warm, yellow glow at the end of it. “Let's go see. There's no “Keep Out” sign or anything.”
She was feeling rebellious after the fiasco of a meeting at the adyta.
“Strange,” Cade commented. “The building didn't seem to be this big on the outside.”
Kira shrugged and pulled Cade after her, gripping his arm. A slight downhill cant to the hallway slightly unbalanced them until they adjusted their gaits. Suddenly they came to an archway and stepped through.
Cade nodded as he and Kira passed. The old man merely watched them with a slight tilt of his head, then went back to his book.
“Look,” Kira whispered. “What's that?” She was pointing to a hallway they'd not noticed at first, to a warm, yellow glow at the end of it. “Let's go see. There's no “Keep Out” sign or anything.”
She was feeling rebellious after the fiasco of a meeting at the adyta.
“Strange,” Cade commented. “The building didn't seem to be this big on the outside.”
Kira shrugged and pulled Cade after her, gripping his arm. A slight downhill cant to the hallway slightly unbalanced them until they adjusted their gaits. Suddenly they came to an archway and stepped through.
“Holy fucking...,” Cade began but couldn't finish.
Kira merely gasped, mouth open.
They were standing on a high balcony at least three stories tall. Every spare inch of the walls were covered in bookshelves, with a carpeted walkway leading around. In the middle of the open space was a double stairway that led across to a single stairway heading down the lower level. The carpet was old, faded, and a rich red, while the bookshelves, flooring, and banisters were made of a warm, golden wood. Soft lights were scattered around, lending an old-fashioned atmosphere to the place.
“I don't even know what to say,” Kira nearly whispered. “How is this possible?”
Cade shook his head. Unless the bookstore was built partially underground and took up more buildings than what it seemed out front, then this was near impossible.
“Do you want to leave?” Cade asked quietly, knowing he'd leave if Kira wanted but desperately wanting to stay.
Suddenly Kira grinned up at him. “Hell, no,” she answered. “This place is awesome. C'mon, let's look around. Maybe this place is in the Reverie,” she added.
“I'll never wrap my brain around there being this freaky secret world that occupies the same space as the real world like a mirror image,” Cade admitted as they walked.
“Wait until you visit the elven nations,” Kira commented. “They continue on in the Secret World for hundreds of miles in all directions past where it co-exists with the Real World but have no counterpart in the Real World. Yet they do exist almost as another world, another plane of existence. Everything is still physically real.”
“Stop, please,” Cade begged, holding his head in mock pain. “You're making my brain hurt.”
Kira laughed, feeling good for the first time since leaving the Tatalusi adyta. Just being alone with Cade in a bookstore like this was almost enough to make Kira feel...well, like a normal person. Except for the topic of conversation, of course.
The pair found themselves hurrying along one side of the balcony and down the flights of stairs until they reached the bottom. To their surprise, there didn't seem to be anyone else in this part of the book store.
“Freaky. How can no one be here?” Cade said, but not concerned enough to worry about it.
Cade and Kira were completely overwhelmed and fascinated, and they lost themselves in the books. All around them were small rooms, alcoves, and sections filled with books. Some were tall enough to need those ladders on wheels, which others had all the books within arm's reach. At one point they did see another customer. A little person by the looks of the man's short stature, but he moved out of sight into a small alcove too quickly to see more of him.
Kira secretly thought he looked like a dwarf...a dwarf of the story book kind, not of the human kind. But she kept her observation to herself and followed Cade, letting his broad shoulders distract her for a moment...in a good way.
Kira merely gasped, mouth open.
They were standing on a high balcony at least three stories tall. Every spare inch of the walls were covered in bookshelves, with a carpeted walkway leading around. In the middle of the open space was a double stairway that led across to a single stairway heading down the lower level. The carpet was old, faded, and a rich red, while the bookshelves, flooring, and banisters were made of a warm, golden wood. Soft lights were scattered around, lending an old-fashioned atmosphere to the place.
“I don't even know what to say,” Kira nearly whispered. “How is this possible?”
Cade shook his head. Unless the bookstore was built partially underground and took up more buildings than what it seemed out front, then this was near impossible.
“Do you want to leave?” Cade asked quietly, knowing he'd leave if Kira wanted but desperately wanting to stay.
Suddenly Kira grinned up at him. “Hell, no,” she answered. “This place is awesome. C'mon, let's look around. Maybe this place is in the Reverie,” she added.
“I'll never wrap my brain around there being this freaky secret world that occupies the same space as the real world like a mirror image,” Cade admitted as they walked.
“Wait until you visit the elven nations,” Kira commented. “They continue on in the Secret World for hundreds of miles in all directions past where it co-exists with the Real World but have no counterpart in the Real World. Yet they do exist almost as another world, another plane of existence. Everything is still physically real.”
“Stop, please,” Cade begged, holding his head in mock pain. “You're making my brain hurt.”
Kira laughed, feeling good for the first time since leaving the Tatalusi adyta. Just being alone with Cade in a bookstore like this was almost enough to make Kira feel...well, like a normal person. Except for the topic of conversation, of course.
The pair found themselves hurrying along one side of the balcony and down the flights of stairs until they reached the bottom. To their surprise, there didn't seem to be anyone else in this part of the book store.
“Freaky. How can no one be here?” Cade said, but not concerned enough to worry about it.
Cade and Kira were completely overwhelmed and fascinated, and they lost themselves in the books. All around them were small rooms, alcoves, and sections filled with books. Some were tall enough to need those ladders on wheels, which others had all the books within arm's reach. At one point they did see another customer. A little person by the looks of the man's short stature, but he moved out of sight into a small alcove too quickly to see more of him.
Kira secretly thought he looked like a dwarf...a dwarf of the story book kind, not of the human kind. But she kept her observation to herself and followed Cade, letting his broad shoulders distract her for a moment...in a good way.
-18-
“You really like all this stuff?” Kira asked with interest, tucking her long, dark hair back behind her ears with one hand.
She looked with Cade as he paged through an old-looking book on King Arthur. She held a book in her arms as well, a strange book on astra projections that she'd discovered shoved behind the one Cade had pulled out. She wanted a chance to check it out afterward.
The book on King Arthur appeared rare, maybe even ancient, and Cade was...at least it seemed to Kira...enthralled by the contents. Indeed he was excited by the entire collection they'd found in a small section of the book store. She'd never seem him like this, especially over books.
Cade nodded, gazing at more books on the shelves. “My dad was a professor at a local college, he specialized in the Middle Ages. He used to love King Arthur, Camelot, the Holy Grail, and the Knights of the Round Table and had a bunch of these books, some old like this and some just regular modern books,” he admitted.
It felt strange talking about his father after all these years, but Cade couldn't help himself. At least it was to Kira, whom he trusted; otherwise, he'd have kept his mouth shut. “I...I had to sell them, which I regretted the hell out of, let me tell you. But I had no choice, I needed the money and didn't have a place for them.”
Kira nodded, not remembering much if anything about King Arthur. If she'd learned about it or used to know, the knowledge was gone from her mind now.
“My dad used to love all the old legends,” Cade said, his voice becoming quiet as he looked through another book. “It was almost like he believed in King Arthur but would never admit it.” He smiled slightly at the memory.
Kira realized Cade sounded a little sad talking about his dad. She was happy that he was even talking about his father but didn't make a big deal out it so he'd keep going and not feel self-conscious.
“So he wasn't real?” she asked. “I actually have no memories of any of this,” she admitted, “if I even ever learned about it.”
She didn't go into details, but briefly explained that whatever memories she did have didn't cover historical facts, nor politics or art for that matter. If it had to do with survival, technology, or getting around in the physical world, Kira remembered and could function normally.
Cade gave Kira a puzzled but sympathetic look. He didn't know that, at least he'd never thought about her memories in that way. He shook his head at her question. “From what I remember, most scholars thought the Arthurian romances and folklore were just made up tales created for entertainment, and to teach knights the goals they needed to achieve by referring back to a “golden age” that never supposedly existed.”
“Yeah, well, knowing what we know of what really exists,” Kira commented staring at a drawing of an ornately carved cup above the caption Chalice of Christ, “this King Arthur and his knights could have been real at some point.”
“Maybe so,” Cade said with a humorless laugh. Really, anything was possible now that he knew the truth about the world.
He was also missing his dad and family more than he had in many years. This opening up the door he'd slammed shut and locked in his heart and soul after they'd all been killed was painful, to say the least.
She looked with Cade as he paged through an old-looking book on King Arthur. She held a book in her arms as well, a strange book on astra projections that she'd discovered shoved behind the one Cade had pulled out. She wanted a chance to check it out afterward.
The book on King Arthur appeared rare, maybe even ancient, and Cade was...at least it seemed to Kira...enthralled by the contents. Indeed he was excited by the entire collection they'd found in a small section of the book store. She'd never seem him like this, especially over books.
Cade nodded, gazing at more books on the shelves. “My dad was a professor at a local college, he specialized in the Middle Ages. He used to love King Arthur, Camelot, the Holy Grail, and the Knights of the Round Table and had a bunch of these books, some old like this and some just regular modern books,” he admitted.
It felt strange talking about his father after all these years, but Cade couldn't help himself. At least it was to Kira, whom he trusted; otherwise, he'd have kept his mouth shut. “I...I had to sell them, which I regretted the hell out of, let me tell you. But I had no choice, I needed the money and didn't have a place for them.”
Kira nodded, not remembering much if anything about King Arthur. If she'd learned about it or used to know, the knowledge was gone from her mind now.
“My dad used to love all the old legends,” Cade said, his voice becoming quiet as he looked through another book. “It was almost like he believed in King Arthur but would never admit it.” He smiled slightly at the memory.
Kira realized Cade sounded a little sad talking about his dad. She was happy that he was even talking about his father but didn't make a big deal out it so he'd keep going and not feel self-conscious.
“So he wasn't real?” she asked. “I actually have no memories of any of this,” she admitted, “if I even ever learned about it.”
She didn't go into details, but briefly explained that whatever memories she did have didn't cover historical facts, nor politics or art for that matter. If it had to do with survival, technology, or getting around in the physical world, Kira remembered and could function normally.
Cade gave Kira a puzzled but sympathetic look. He didn't know that, at least he'd never thought about her memories in that way. He shook his head at her question. “From what I remember, most scholars thought the Arthurian romances and folklore were just made up tales created for entertainment, and to teach knights the goals they needed to achieve by referring back to a “golden age” that never supposedly existed.”
“Yeah, well, knowing what we know of what really exists,” Kira commented staring at a drawing of an ornately carved cup above the caption Chalice of Christ, “this King Arthur and his knights could have been real at some point.”
“Maybe so,” Cade said with a humorless laugh. Really, anything was possible now that he knew the truth about the world.
He was also missing his dad and family more than he had in many years. This opening up the door he'd slammed shut and locked in his heart and soul after they'd all been killed was painful, to say the least.
-19-
Kira moved the book on astra projections to her other arm when she tentatively reached out to lay her hand softly on Cade's arm. She glanced up at him trying to show concern, not pity or anything else, just her friendship for what she knew was hard for him.
Instead of drawing away and shutting his emotions down, Cade nodded slightly. He wasn't going to open up so much that he'd start expressing his feelings or anything extreme like that...but Kira's touch felt comforting and something he could accept.
Suddenly there were two sharp knocks behind them.
The demon hunting pair turned quickly only to be confronted by an old wooden door, arched and set into a stone wall. There definitely hadn't been a door behind them before this.
“Uhhh...,” Kira said somewhat unintelligently, then stopped.
“My thought exactly,” Cade agreed with his eyebrows raised.
There was a wall between them and the rest of the bookstore now, cast in yellow and red glowing light that was definitely not from lamps of any kind. The door was old and faded with ornate metal across the top and bottom. There was another knock-knock.
Cade began easing toward the door, but Kira grabbed his hand. He entwined his fingers with hers unexpectedly but continued to reach for the metal door handle.
“Cade,” Kira said warningly, “a door appears out of nowhere. Is it really a good idea to open it?” But a part of her was curious, as well. How could she not be?
Touching the handle of the mysteriously appearing door, then gripping it tightly, Cade glanced down at Kira. “Seriously, Kira, I can't not open a door that just appeared out of nowhere and is knocking at me.”
“I know." She had to admit she was intrigued herself, but scared, too. “I mean, yes, we can actually. All we have to do is turn around." When neither of them moved, she sighed. "Well, crap, this really can't turn out well.”
The pair glanced around one more time to make sure no one was looking, then Cade opened the door.
Instead of drawing away and shutting his emotions down, Cade nodded slightly. He wasn't going to open up so much that he'd start expressing his feelings or anything extreme like that...but Kira's touch felt comforting and something he could accept.
Suddenly there were two sharp knocks behind them.
The demon hunting pair turned quickly only to be confronted by an old wooden door, arched and set into a stone wall. There definitely hadn't been a door behind them before this.
“Uhhh...,” Kira said somewhat unintelligently, then stopped.
“My thought exactly,” Cade agreed with his eyebrows raised.
There was a wall between them and the rest of the bookstore now, cast in yellow and red glowing light that was definitely not from lamps of any kind. The door was old and faded with ornate metal across the top and bottom. There was another knock-knock.
Cade began easing toward the door, but Kira grabbed his hand. He entwined his fingers with hers unexpectedly but continued to reach for the metal door handle.
“Cade,” Kira said warningly, “a door appears out of nowhere. Is it really a good idea to open it?” But a part of her was curious, as well. How could she not be?
Touching the handle of the mysteriously appearing door, then gripping it tightly, Cade glanced down at Kira. “Seriously, Kira, I can't not open a door that just appeared out of nowhere and is knocking at me.”
“I know." She had to admit she was intrigued herself, but scared, too. “I mean, yes, we can actually. All we have to do is turn around." When neither of them moved, she sighed. "Well, crap, this really can't turn out well.”
The pair glanced around one more time to make sure no one was looking, then Cade opened the door.
-20-
Cade was still clutching Kira's hand, almost loathe to let go at the moment, as they stood on a dirt path just inside the edge of a misty forest. The world...wherever they'd been transported to for they definitely were not in the bookstore anymore...was dark and desolate looking. It was lonely and bare of anything beautiful. Kira felt a painful ache settle in her soul. A glance at Cade's face told her he was feeling the same emotion.
The forest around them was devoid of life, natural light, and sound.
Kira shuddered, turning in a small circle and breaking contact with Cade as their hands drifted apart. “This place is horrible, Cade!” she whispered. “Where are we?”
Cade shook his head. He glanced around for the door they'd come through but there was only the forest behind them.
Loneliness seemed to surround them, and Cade could feel a torment in the air. “I have no idea,” he answered, shaking his head slightly. But something deep inside Cade felt a glimmer of recognition, like he'd been here before.
But he hadn't, so far as he knew.
“Look!” Kira suddenly gasped.
Cade glanced in the direction she was pointing to see a statue of a dragon. They hadn't noticed it before but now it seemed to glow with a faint pulsing of light. A white light infused with a hint of rainbow colors. It wasn't very bright, but the light seemed to lighten the darkness in his heart just slightly. It was enough to give Cade hope that they could figure out this situation.
“Uh, sorry I opened the door,” he apologized. “You were right, this didn't turn out well at all.”
Kira gave a small huff, the best laugh she could come up with at the moment. “Well, it's not like I protested too much,” she offered. “Part of me wanted you to. I didn't have to come.”
But Kira knew that was a lie. She'd never let Cade go somewhere dangerous without her.
Cade sighed. “Next time—I don't know—punch me in the stomach or something to make me not do something so stupid.”
Kira actually laughed, and Cade grinned slightly at her. Then they set off walking down the path into the trees. There was no where else to go really. The way behind them was pitch black. At least the dragon statue cast a faint light through the trees.
The forest around them was devoid of life, natural light, and sound.
Kira shuddered, turning in a small circle and breaking contact with Cade as their hands drifted apart. “This place is horrible, Cade!” she whispered. “Where are we?”
Cade shook his head. He glanced around for the door they'd come through but there was only the forest behind them.
Loneliness seemed to surround them, and Cade could feel a torment in the air. “I have no idea,” he answered, shaking his head slightly. But something deep inside Cade felt a glimmer of recognition, like he'd been here before.
But he hadn't, so far as he knew.
“Look!” Kira suddenly gasped.
Cade glanced in the direction she was pointing to see a statue of a dragon. They hadn't noticed it before but now it seemed to glow with a faint pulsing of light. A white light infused with a hint of rainbow colors. It wasn't very bright, but the light seemed to lighten the darkness in his heart just slightly. It was enough to give Cade hope that they could figure out this situation.
“Uh, sorry I opened the door,” he apologized. “You were right, this didn't turn out well at all.”
Kira gave a small huff, the best laugh she could come up with at the moment. “Well, it's not like I protested too much,” she offered. “Part of me wanted you to. I didn't have to come.”
But Kira knew that was a lie. She'd never let Cade go somewhere dangerous without her.
Cade sighed. “Next time—I don't know—punch me in the stomach or something to make me not do something so stupid.”
Kira actually laughed, and Cade grinned slightly at her. Then they set off walking down the path into the trees. There was no where else to go really. The way behind them was pitch black. At least the dragon statue cast a faint light through the trees.
-21-
It didn't take more than a few minutes before Cade was demon-deep in one of his worst nightmares. The assault had been as if out of thin air, with at least a dozen demons of varying ugliness breaking through the trees along the path. Two of the wretched creatures had grabbed Kira and began dragging her off, her screams echoing through the night. Cade was usually alone during this particular nightmare-come-true, and his frantic worry for Kira had allowed the demons to overwhelm him quicker than usual.
In his dream, he fought well then was overpowered after slaying several of them. This time the demonic creatures had forced him to the ground, tearing at his clothes, his skin, even his eyes and his intestines. Even with the large hunting knife that was now firmly in his fist, Cade could hear his own screams of agony as if someone else was being viciously killed. The stench of the demons along with his own hot, flowing blood filled his nostrils. Still he fought with all his might.
Suddenly a hand clamped around his wrist, then another. He felt himself being pulled out from under the pile of writhing bodies, still screaming.
“Cade! CADE!” a familiar voice yelled. “Get up, get up! We have to run!”
With a sharp inhalation, silence filled the night as Cade's yells ceased. He scrambled to his feet out of live-preserving reflex, expecting to find his guts falling out of his midsections. He was surprised to find Kira...hell, to see Kira though eyes that shouldn't have been there, apparently unharmed and standing in front of him. Her brown eyes were wide and nearly glowing in the darkness. He whipped around to find the demons still fighting as if they didn't know he was not longer their prey. Then he quickly checked himself over to find no sign of the killing wounds he had literally felt be inflicted on him.
“How...how did you get away?” he asked in shock.
Kira shook her head, shooting fearful glances at the demons as she tugged on Cade's arm. “I don't know. As soon as we were out of sight of you, they, well, they just disappeared,” she said. “I ran back and pulled out you somehow.”
Cade sucked in a breath and then held up his huge knife, only momentarily wondering where the sheath on his belt had come from as he'd had a completely different knife in his jacket. He prepared himself to kill the demons once and for all.
Suddenly they all rose as one, turning as if to attack once again. Their snarling faces were twisted. Slobber and blood dripped from more than a few of their gaping mouths.
“Kira, get back!” Cade ordered, raising his knife.
“No!” Kira cried out. She positioned herself next to Cade to face the demons. “You don't have to fight them by yourself anymore!” she shouted. “I won't leave you alone!”
A tremor shot through Cade's body. He always fought by himself. That was his punishment in life. To fight what had killed his family.
And he always fought alone, at least until recently. But deep down he never really let himself believe that it would last.
“What did you say?” he asked, almost in shock.
Kira turned to her demon hunting partner as sharp dragon claws extended from her fingertips before she could reach for the gun at her back. “I said, you don't have to kill them all by yourself. You have me to help you now...and I have you to help me,” Kira said firmly. “You think you're all alone, like you were before, but you're not! You have to start believing that!”
In his dream, he fought well then was overpowered after slaying several of them. This time the demonic creatures had forced him to the ground, tearing at his clothes, his skin, even his eyes and his intestines. Even with the large hunting knife that was now firmly in his fist, Cade could hear his own screams of agony as if someone else was being viciously killed. The stench of the demons along with his own hot, flowing blood filled his nostrils. Still he fought with all his might.
Suddenly a hand clamped around his wrist, then another. He felt himself being pulled out from under the pile of writhing bodies, still screaming.
“Cade! CADE!” a familiar voice yelled. “Get up, get up! We have to run!”
With a sharp inhalation, silence filled the night as Cade's yells ceased. He scrambled to his feet out of live-preserving reflex, expecting to find his guts falling out of his midsections. He was surprised to find Kira...hell, to see Kira though eyes that shouldn't have been there, apparently unharmed and standing in front of him. Her brown eyes were wide and nearly glowing in the darkness. He whipped around to find the demons still fighting as if they didn't know he was not longer their prey. Then he quickly checked himself over to find no sign of the killing wounds he had literally felt be inflicted on him.
“How...how did you get away?” he asked in shock.
Kira shook her head, shooting fearful glances at the demons as she tugged on Cade's arm. “I don't know. As soon as we were out of sight of you, they, well, they just disappeared,” she said. “I ran back and pulled out you somehow.”
Cade sucked in a breath and then held up his huge knife, only momentarily wondering where the sheath on his belt had come from as he'd had a completely different knife in his jacket. He prepared himself to kill the demons once and for all.
Suddenly they all rose as one, turning as if to attack once again. Their snarling faces were twisted. Slobber and blood dripped from more than a few of their gaping mouths.
“Kira, get back!” Cade ordered, raising his knife.
“No!” Kira cried out. She positioned herself next to Cade to face the demons. “You don't have to fight them by yourself anymore!” she shouted. “I won't leave you alone!”
A tremor shot through Cade's body. He always fought by himself. That was his punishment in life. To fight what had killed his family.
And he always fought alone, at least until recently. But deep down he never really let himself believe that it would last.
“What did you say?” he asked, almost in shock.
Kira turned to her demon hunting partner as sharp dragon claws extended from her fingertips before she could reach for the gun at her back. “I said, you don't have to kill them all by yourself. You have me to help you now...and I have you to help me,” Kira said firmly. “You think you're all alone, like you were before, but you're not! You have to start believing that!”
Cade stopped short and whirled Kira around to face him despite the demons running for them. Running but not quite ever reaching them. He held her by the shoulders and frowned at her, staring hard. He was surprised that her dark brown eyes were staring back, unafraid...well, at least trying to appear brave...and determined. He totally shocked himself, and Kira by her gasp of surprise, when he leaned down and kissed her firmly on the lips. It only lasted a few seconds, but the feeling of elation shot through him.
He really wasn't alone anymore, Cade realized. Truly realized and felt deep inside of him for the first time since his family was killed. Not in an intellectual sense like when he'd told Kira about his past for the first time, but as if a crack had been formed in the protective shell he kept around his heart and soul. A thin tendril of light seemed to be seeping in as if on a quest to fill the blackness.
The demons disappeared into thin air and all was abruptly quiet around them. The dragon statue in the distance grew brighter, and the air in the forest seemed to come alive. The desolate feeling seemed to lift.
Cade and Kira both blinked in surprise.
“What the hell...?” Cade began, staring around him.
It was then the black void opened beneath them, sending the pair tumbling into an abyss.
He really wasn't alone anymore, Cade realized. Truly realized and felt deep inside of him for the first time since his family was killed. Not in an intellectual sense like when he'd told Kira about his past for the first time, but as if a crack had been formed in the protective shell he kept around his heart and soul. A thin tendril of light seemed to be seeping in as if on a quest to fill the blackness.
The demons disappeared into thin air and all was abruptly quiet around them. The dragon statue in the distance grew brighter, and the air in the forest seemed to come alive. The desolate feeling seemed to lift.
Cade and Kira both blinked in surprise.
“What the hell...?” Cade began, staring around him.
It was then the black void opened beneath them, sending the pair tumbling into an abyss.
-22-
“Cassandra had some nerve having them followed,” Na'ethal grumbled very un-elf like as he, Ryan, and Eolande arrived at the bookstore through the Reverie. “Considering it was her fault Kira ran in the first place.”
They appeared out of nowhere just outside of a small room being watched over by the old man with the white hair, mustache, and beard who'd previously been tending the front counter. The three new arrivials nodded to the ancient guardian quester.
Ryan raised an eyebrow. “She was in the wrong, yes, but at least we knew where they went. Pandora is an excellent tracker despite her ill-fortune to be a vampire.”
They entered the small room full of books to find Sebastian, the Tantalui's coven mistress's second-in-command waiting impatiently for them. Cade and Kira lay unconscious on the carpet where they'd collapsed. They'd fallen against a chair and were tangled together, with Kira holding a book in her arms. Ryan bent over to examine it while Na'ethal did a quick physical check of the young pair.
“It's a book on astra projections,” the police detective said. “That might explain things.” His tone was even and calm. “Are they well?” he asked the elven doctor.
Na'ethal nodded and stood. “Just unconscious.”
Eolande, her green, leafy hair and green rimmed eyes, nearly glowing, knelt down on the floor. She studied the book but didn't touch it. “What did you see, Byron?” she asked the older immortal man.
The guardian of the bookstore explained about the door they could all plainly see, how it had been opened by the young man, then their shimmery images had walked through it hand in hand as their physical bodies collapsed to the floor.
A small whooshing sound was heard as Bella stepped out of thin air, having traveled the angelic beth-el to reach them. Having been to the bookstore many times, it was possible for her to teleport there from the vampire's adyta once she knew where Cade and Kira had gone. That information had been relayed by a more mortal method—her cell phone. Her eyes scanned the book on the Astra before she nodded.
“Have we tried the door yet?” she asked.
Ryan stepped toward the old wooden door, arched and set into a stone wall and rattled the handle. “Nothing. It won't open for me.”
The rest of them tried the handle as well.
The eldritch were silent for a moment, then Eolande turned to face the others. “I'll say it then,” she announced. “We're thinking they found a way into the astral aethyrs. The question is where did they go?”
“And, are they in one of their minds?” Bella asked no one in particular.
Ryan shook his head. They all knew the astral aethyrs, or the Astra, were a myriad of worlds composed of thought and accessible only through the mind. All the worlds were linked together by astral space and within the astra the physical mindscape and all living things were composed of epherma—thoughts given form.
“The spirit worlds are many,” he commented. “We need to find them before it's too late.”
It was a statement of fact, not an emotion from the gargoyle. Yet, he did not want harm to come to either; it was in his nature to protect.
Eolande frowned as she approached the door. She held a palm up to the wood and closed her eyes. The forest faery concentrated then shook her head. “If I knew where they were, I could open a portal from Faeryland,” she said. “I could walk between worlds and retrieve their minds and spirits.”
Na'ethal ran a hand through his long, platinum white hair. “I can send a spirit messenger,” he offered. It was one of the elven wyrds he possessed. “If I summon a minor astral entity to deliver a message to Kira, it will find her no matter where she is in any other realm.”
“How is that possible?” Bella asked curiously. There were many secrets between the gentes about their powers and abilities.
The elf shrugged slightly. “They just automatically know where the recipient is, I don't know how it works. But I can attempt to track the messenger and find their location. Getting to them is another matter entirely. Perhaps then Eolande can walk between the worlds to alert them of our arrival.”
Bella nodded. “The door or the books in this room might have yazata watching over them, I can try to communicate with one.”
The others nodded. They were at least familiar with the good spirits that the angels communicated with...the spirits who watched over the innumerable tiny details of existence, such as a particular minute of the day, certain rocks or flowers, and so on.
“If one of them saw where Cade and Kira went, I can open a spirit gate into the realm their spirits are in. If necessary I can take one of you with me,” the archangel said to Ryan and Na'ethal.
There was a moment of silence as all of this was processed by the eldritch into at least the basis of a plan.
“Very well,” Ryan agreed. Nodding toward Na'ethal and Bella, he said, “Sebastian, Eolande, and I will remain outside the room until we hear from one or both of you.”
With that the angel turned toward the strange door, and the elf disappeared into the Reverie with the hopes that one or both of them would be successful in finding the missing warriors.
They appeared out of nowhere just outside of a small room being watched over by the old man with the white hair, mustache, and beard who'd previously been tending the front counter. The three new arrivials nodded to the ancient guardian quester.
Ryan raised an eyebrow. “She was in the wrong, yes, but at least we knew where they went. Pandora is an excellent tracker despite her ill-fortune to be a vampire.”
They entered the small room full of books to find Sebastian, the Tantalui's coven mistress's second-in-command waiting impatiently for them. Cade and Kira lay unconscious on the carpet where they'd collapsed. They'd fallen against a chair and were tangled together, with Kira holding a book in her arms. Ryan bent over to examine it while Na'ethal did a quick physical check of the young pair.
“It's a book on astra projections,” the police detective said. “That might explain things.” His tone was even and calm. “Are they well?” he asked the elven doctor.
Na'ethal nodded and stood. “Just unconscious.”
Eolande, her green, leafy hair and green rimmed eyes, nearly glowing, knelt down on the floor. She studied the book but didn't touch it. “What did you see, Byron?” she asked the older immortal man.
The guardian of the bookstore explained about the door they could all plainly see, how it had been opened by the young man, then their shimmery images had walked through it hand in hand as their physical bodies collapsed to the floor.
A small whooshing sound was heard as Bella stepped out of thin air, having traveled the angelic beth-el to reach them. Having been to the bookstore many times, it was possible for her to teleport there from the vampire's adyta once she knew where Cade and Kira had gone. That information had been relayed by a more mortal method—her cell phone. Her eyes scanned the book on the Astra before she nodded.
“Have we tried the door yet?” she asked.
Ryan stepped toward the old wooden door, arched and set into a stone wall and rattled the handle. “Nothing. It won't open for me.”
The rest of them tried the handle as well.
The eldritch were silent for a moment, then Eolande turned to face the others. “I'll say it then,” she announced. “We're thinking they found a way into the astral aethyrs. The question is where did they go?”
“And, are they in one of their minds?” Bella asked no one in particular.
Ryan shook his head. They all knew the astral aethyrs, or the Astra, were a myriad of worlds composed of thought and accessible only through the mind. All the worlds were linked together by astral space and within the astra the physical mindscape and all living things were composed of epherma—thoughts given form.
“The spirit worlds are many,” he commented. “We need to find them before it's too late.”
It was a statement of fact, not an emotion from the gargoyle. Yet, he did not want harm to come to either; it was in his nature to protect.
Eolande frowned as she approached the door. She held a palm up to the wood and closed her eyes. The forest faery concentrated then shook her head. “If I knew where they were, I could open a portal from Faeryland,” she said. “I could walk between worlds and retrieve their minds and spirits.”
Na'ethal ran a hand through his long, platinum white hair. “I can send a spirit messenger,” he offered. It was one of the elven wyrds he possessed. “If I summon a minor astral entity to deliver a message to Kira, it will find her no matter where she is in any other realm.”
“How is that possible?” Bella asked curiously. There were many secrets between the gentes about their powers and abilities.
The elf shrugged slightly. “They just automatically know where the recipient is, I don't know how it works. But I can attempt to track the messenger and find their location. Getting to them is another matter entirely. Perhaps then Eolande can walk between the worlds to alert them of our arrival.”
Bella nodded. “The door or the books in this room might have yazata watching over them, I can try to communicate with one.”
The others nodded. They were at least familiar with the good spirits that the angels communicated with...the spirits who watched over the innumerable tiny details of existence, such as a particular minute of the day, certain rocks or flowers, and so on.
“If one of them saw where Cade and Kira went, I can open a spirit gate into the realm their spirits are in. If necessary I can take one of you with me,” the archangel said to Ryan and Na'ethal.
There was a moment of silence as all of this was processed by the eldritch into at least the basis of a plan.
“Very well,” Ryan agreed. Nodding toward Na'ethal and Bella, he said, “Sebastian, Eolande, and I will remain outside the room until we hear from one or both of you.”
With that the angel turned toward the strange door, and the elf disappeared into the Reverie with the hopes that one or both of them would be successful in finding the missing warriors.
-23-
They landed with an exceptionally hard and tumbling crash to the ground. With each others assistance, Cade and Kira shook off their momentary confusion, ignored their aches, and scrambled to their feet to find themselves in a dark and mist-shrouded cemetery. The grave markers were canted different directions as they stuck out of the ground.
“Why are they never bright and sunny with flowers?” Kira grumbled.
She stared around her at the dead or dying trees and bushes. In truth she was frightened at what was happening to them, but she refused to cling to Cade or cower behind him. However, neither of them moved too far from the other. Kira glanced at Cade's profile, still remembering that he had kissed her...he'd actually kissed her! But now wasn't the time to wonder about that.
Reaching for their weapons again, the demon hunting pair were dismayed to find this time they had none. Kira picked up a fallen branch as a weapon, while Cade found a long rock that fit into the palm of his hand.
As the moon came glowed from behind the clouds, it shone down haphazardly placed grave markers. Names began to glow a grayish color on several of them, wavering in the darkness. There was no immediate threat that Kira could see and curiosity got the better of her common sense. She stepped away from Cade to look at the names.
“Hey, hey!” Cade grabbed her arm. “Where do you think you're going?” he asked in surprise.
“Just to see the names,” Kira answered, pulling free. “Don't you think it the least bit odd that they're, um, glowing? Maybe we're supposed to see them,” she suggested.
“See them?” Cade retorted. “Why should we care who's names are on there. We don't even know where on earth we are!”
Kira glanced at the first name. Mira Lebowski. “Cade,” she said quietly, putting into words her thoughts, “has it occurred to you that we're not actually on Earth?”
Cade was silent for a moment then he snorted. “So, what? We're in another dimension or world or something?” he said sarcastically, but without much force. He scowled harder at the names floating in the air, as if that were a common occurrence for him. “Damn! I know that name!” he said suddenly. “And that one...and...,”
Suddenly the beginning of Cade's surprised remembrances came to a crashing end as all the graves exploded into the night. Ghostly figures rose up from the graves like some cheesy special effects in a low-budget horror movie. Except all the gory detail of how they apparently died was too real looking. Kira yelped as she and Cade ducked their heads. Cade launched himself at Kira to cover her with his body. But nothing rained down on them. Kira pushed out from Cade's arm and stared at the spirit-like shapes swirling around them.
They coalesced into more solid shapes, at least a half-dozen, with a myriad of injuries and in various stages of being covered with blood and gore. Kira grimaced and raised her branch weapon as Cade hefted his rock. They were a primitive defense against the beings surrounding them, but it was all they had.
Suddenly many arms reached out toward the pair but they all seemed to be looking at Cade.
“Help me!” a woman with slash marks across her face and chest cried out.
A man who had only one arm pleaded, “Save me!”
And it went on with them all repeating their entreaties over and over until Kira almost couldn't stand the pain in their echoing voices.
“Cade, what's going on?!” Kira yelled over the voices. “I don't think they're trying to hurt us at all.”
Cade was almost speechless with horror and felt the shame of failure all over again. But he owed Kira an explanation. He swallowed and lowered his rock.
“They're all the people I couldn't save,” he admitted. “I recognize each of them...more than I want to. I failed them all, Kira.”
Turning to see the anguish on her partner's face, Kira threw down her branch and gripped Cade's forearms, turning him toward her. “This is all the people you couldn't save?” she asked incredulously. When the young man before her nodded, glancing back at the pleading figures, Kira blinked back tears. “Cade! You've been hunting demons for over eight years. Eight years!! How many people do you think you've saved in all that time?” she asked, shaking him a little. “Hundreds, I'm sure of it...if not more. And you've only lost six?”
“But that's six too many,” Cade protested, shaking his head. “Kira, first I failed my family, then these people...,” but he couldn't go on.
“Holy crap!” Kira exclaimed. “You are not perfect, Cade...people are going to die. I'm sorry these people had to die, I really am...but in this war against the demons, people are going to lose their lives. Maybe even us someday. But we're going to save more...mortal and eldritch...than we lose. You have to know that!”
Cade tried to focus on Kira's voice and her words instead of the pitiful pleading that surrounded him. Intellectually he knew Kira was right, but emotionally he was still plagued by the guilt. At least he felt he wasn't alone in his battles anymore, but he still felt he had to save them all or else he was a failure.
He felt Kira grip his face and found himself staring down into her brown eyes. The brown seemed to swirl into golds and greens until Cade thought he could see all the way into some other world. He thought he saw the ancient world of the dragons when the first immortals battled their draconis creators. He saw death, blood, destruction, and the collapse of great cities. There had always been loss in war...and he had been at war with demons all these years.
“Sonofabitch!” Cade growled, closing his eyes briefly. This emotional crap was going to be the death of him. What the hell was going on here anyway? Why was he experiencing all this ridiculous angst and turmoil?
Suddenly he yelled loudly, “STOP!”
He pulled away from Kira and faced the figures all around them, turning in a circle with his arms outstretched. If they wanted to exact revenge, well, they could just come and get him.
“I'm sorry!” he said. “I tried to save you, I tried! But I can't help you now...I couldn't help you then and I can't now!” He took a deep breath as if having unleashed something that had built up huge and heavy within himself. “I did the best I could,” Cade said more quietly as the figures stopped moving and simply stared. “I can't save everyone, and I did...the best I could.”
With a faint suctioning noise and the feeling of air rushing past them, Cade and Kira found themselves alone in what used to a cemetery. The night still hung around them, and the mist still floated on the ground, but they were alone now. Cade's guilt had lessened, but he had a feeling it would never completely go away.
“Well,” Kira said quietly. “That was interesting.”
Cade grunted. Then he asked, “What was that you were saying before...about us not being on Earth?”
“You're the one that suggested we might be in another dimension or world,” Kira reminded him.
“I was kidding!” Cade exclaimed, so not wanting to have been right.
“Really?” Kira replied. “With all that we know about the Everlasting, the Reverie and everything else, you don't think it's even slightly possible?” She stared up at him in the moonlight. “I was holding a book on Astra projections, and a door mysteriously appeared behind us in the bookstore.”
Sighing Cade ran a hand over his face and into his now unruly hair that stuck up all different directions.
“Fine,” he said, giving in. “It's possible. Hell, it's damn likely considering all that's happened so far. So, tell me this, Miss Know-it-All. Exactly where are we then?”
Kira smiled slightly. Cade's tone held nothing but reluctant acceptance so she didn't take offense at his words.
She shrugged. “Now that I don't know,” she admitted. “The spirit worlds maybe, and you know there are many that are linked together by astral space and made up of thoughts.” Kira thought for a moment. “Since they're accessible through the mind only, I'm going to suggest this might be one of our inner sanctums.”
“Hrmp,” Cade grunted. “Yours or mine then?” he asked.
Kira glanced around at the darkness, the now-empty graveyard and thought back to the demon fight in the woods. She stared meaningfully at her partner, one hand on her hip.
“Okay okay, no need to look snarky...I'd guess this is my own personal realm then,” Cade said with a scowl. If this was his mind, it was no wonder he was so screwed up inside. “So, that means our bodies are still back in the bookstore, right?”
Kira nodded. “Yeah, I guess so. That's a good thing, though...well,” she amended, “so long as no one disturbs them or tries to do anything to us.” She frowned at the thought. Their physical selves were basically unprotected.
“We can't worry about that now,” Cade said. “We have to figure out how to get out of here...,” he began.
“Why are they never bright and sunny with flowers?” Kira grumbled.
She stared around her at the dead or dying trees and bushes. In truth she was frightened at what was happening to them, but she refused to cling to Cade or cower behind him. However, neither of them moved too far from the other. Kira glanced at Cade's profile, still remembering that he had kissed her...he'd actually kissed her! But now wasn't the time to wonder about that.
Reaching for their weapons again, the demon hunting pair were dismayed to find this time they had none. Kira picked up a fallen branch as a weapon, while Cade found a long rock that fit into the palm of his hand.
As the moon came glowed from behind the clouds, it shone down haphazardly placed grave markers. Names began to glow a grayish color on several of them, wavering in the darkness. There was no immediate threat that Kira could see and curiosity got the better of her common sense. She stepped away from Cade to look at the names.
“Hey, hey!” Cade grabbed her arm. “Where do you think you're going?” he asked in surprise.
“Just to see the names,” Kira answered, pulling free. “Don't you think it the least bit odd that they're, um, glowing? Maybe we're supposed to see them,” she suggested.
“See them?” Cade retorted. “Why should we care who's names are on there. We don't even know where on earth we are!”
Kira glanced at the first name. Mira Lebowski. “Cade,” she said quietly, putting into words her thoughts, “has it occurred to you that we're not actually on Earth?”
Cade was silent for a moment then he snorted. “So, what? We're in another dimension or world or something?” he said sarcastically, but without much force. He scowled harder at the names floating in the air, as if that were a common occurrence for him. “Damn! I know that name!” he said suddenly. “And that one...and...,”
Suddenly the beginning of Cade's surprised remembrances came to a crashing end as all the graves exploded into the night. Ghostly figures rose up from the graves like some cheesy special effects in a low-budget horror movie. Except all the gory detail of how they apparently died was too real looking. Kira yelped as she and Cade ducked their heads. Cade launched himself at Kira to cover her with his body. But nothing rained down on them. Kira pushed out from Cade's arm and stared at the spirit-like shapes swirling around them.
They coalesced into more solid shapes, at least a half-dozen, with a myriad of injuries and in various stages of being covered with blood and gore. Kira grimaced and raised her branch weapon as Cade hefted his rock. They were a primitive defense against the beings surrounding them, but it was all they had.
Suddenly many arms reached out toward the pair but they all seemed to be looking at Cade.
“Help me!” a woman with slash marks across her face and chest cried out.
A man who had only one arm pleaded, “Save me!”
And it went on with them all repeating their entreaties over and over until Kira almost couldn't stand the pain in their echoing voices.
“Cade, what's going on?!” Kira yelled over the voices. “I don't think they're trying to hurt us at all.”
Cade was almost speechless with horror and felt the shame of failure all over again. But he owed Kira an explanation. He swallowed and lowered his rock.
“They're all the people I couldn't save,” he admitted. “I recognize each of them...more than I want to. I failed them all, Kira.”
Turning to see the anguish on her partner's face, Kira threw down her branch and gripped Cade's forearms, turning him toward her. “This is all the people you couldn't save?” she asked incredulously. When the young man before her nodded, glancing back at the pleading figures, Kira blinked back tears. “Cade! You've been hunting demons for over eight years. Eight years!! How many people do you think you've saved in all that time?” she asked, shaking him a little. “Hundreds, I'm sure of it...if not more. And you've only lost six?”
“But that's six too many,” Cade protested, shaking his head. “Kira, first I failed my family, then these people...,” but he couldn't go on.
“Holy crap!” Kira exclaimed. “You are not perfect, Cade...people are going to die. I'm sorry these people had to die, I really am...but in this war against the demons, people are going to lose their lives. Maybe even us someday. But we're going to save more...mortal and eldritch...than we lose. You have to know that!”
Cade tried to focus on Kira's voice and her words instead of the pitiful pleading that surrounded him. Intellectually he knew Kira was right, but emotionally he was still plagued by the guilt. At least he felt he wasn't alone in his battles anymore, but he still felt he had to save them all or else he was a failure.
He felt Kira grip his face and found himself staring down into her brown eyes. The brown seemed to swirl into golds and greens until Cade thought he could see all the way into some other world. He thought he saw the ancient world of the dragons when the first immortals battled their draconis creators. He saw death, blood, destruction, and the collapse of great cities. There had always been loss in war...and he had been at war with demons all these years.
“Sonofabitch!” Cade growled, closing his eyes briefly. This emotional crap was going to be the death of him. What the hell was going on here anyway? Why was he experiencing all this ridiculous angst and turmoil?
Suddenly he yelled loudly, “STOP!”
He pulled away from Kira and faced the figures all around them, turning in a circle with his arms outstretched. If they wanted to exact revenge, well, they could just come and get him.
“I'm sorry!” he said. “I tried to save you, I tried! But I can't help you now...I couldn't help you then and I can't now!” He took a deep breath as if having unleashed something that had built up huge and heavy within himself. “I did the best I could,” Cade said more quietly as the figures stopped moving and simply stared. “I can't save everyone, and I did...the best I could.”
With a faint suctioning noise and the feeling of air rushing past them, Cade and Kira found themselves alone in what used to a cemetery. The night still hung around them, and the mist still floated on the ground, but they were alone now. Cade's guilt had lessened, but he had a feeling it would never completely go away.
“Well,” Kira said quietly. “That was interesting.”
Cade grunted. Then he asked, “What was that you were saying before...about us not being on Earth?”
“You're the one that suggested we might be in another dimension or world,” Kira reminded him.
“I was kidding!” Cade exclaimed, so not wanting to have been right.
“Really?” Kira replied. “With all that we know about the Everlasting, the Reverie and everything else, you don't think it's even slightly possible?” She stared up at him in the moonlight. “I was holding a book on Astra projections, and a door mysteriously appeared behind us in the bookstore.”
Sighing Cade ran a hand over his face and into his now unruly hair that stuck up all different directions.
“Fine,” he said, giving in. “It's possible. Hell, it's damn likely considering all that's happened so far. So, tell me this, Miss Know-it-All. Exactly where are we then?”
Kira smiled slightly. Cade's tone held nothing but reluctant acceptance so she didn't take offense at his words.
She shrugged. “Now that I don't know,” she admitted. “The spirit worlds maybe, and you know there are many that are linked together by astral space and made up of thoughts.” Kira thought for a moment. “Since they're accessible through the mind only, I'm going to suggest this might be one of our inner sanctums.”
“Hrmp,” Cade grunted. “Yours or mine then?” he asked.
Kira glanced around at the darkness, the now-empty graveyard and thought back to the demon fight in the woods. She stared meaningfully at her partner, one hand on her hip.
“Okay okay, no need to look snarky...I'd guess this is my own personal realm then,” Cade said with a scowl. If this was his mind, it was no wonder he was so screwed up inside. “So, that means our bodies are still back in the bookstore, right?”
Kira nodded. “Yeah, I guess so. That's a good thing, though...well,” she amended, “so long as no one disturbs them or tries to do anything to us.” She frowned at the thought. Their physical selves were basically unprotected.
“We can't worry about that now,” Cade said. “We have to figure out how to get out of here...,” he began.
-24-
“Uh, why don't we take the yellow road,” Kira suggested glancing behind her in shock. She almost wanted to say “yellow brick” but it wasn't really made out of bricks.
“What? We're in the middle of a damn graveyard,” Cade growled. He should know. He'd turned in a full circle when having his emotional outburst, and there'd been nothing but graves all around them in the darkness.
Kira shoved Cade until he turned around. A wide dirt path had opened up in the trees that now seemed to be in the full glory of fall, not to mention straight and tall instead of bent and twisted. Around the bend was a glowing yellow light. It was really too obvious of a hint to ignore.
She felt a small bit of satisfaction at the way his mouth literally hung open. The light seemed to stop at the edge of the large pathway instead of spilling over into the dark forest. It was as if a sharp dividing line had been drawn between the dark and the light.
Kira was about to comment on the weirdness of Cade's mind when she wondered just how bizarre her own Inner Sanctum would be. She kept that comment to herself as they stepped into the light and began to walk.
“What? We're in the middle of a damn graveyard,” Cade growled. He should know. He'd turned in a full circle when having his emotional outburst, and there'd been nothing but graves all around them in the darkness.
Kira shoved Cade until he turned around. A wide dirt path had opened up in the trees that now seemed to be in the full glory of fall, not to mention straight and tall instead of bent and twisted. Around the bend was a glowing yellow light. It was really too obvious of a hint to ignore.
She felt a small bit of satisfaction at the way his mouth literally hung open. The light seemed to stop at the edge of the large pathway instead of spilling over into the dark forest. It was as if a sharp dividing line had been drawn between the dark and the light.
Kira was about to comment on the weirdness of Cade's mind when she wondered just how bizarre her own Inner Sanctum would be. She kept that comment to herself as they stepped into the light and began to walk.
-25-
The door was made of wood...so it was once a living tree...and the wall behind it of stone...part of the earth. It was obvious the door was part of the Astra, which is where the yazatas, the spirits of the innumerable tiny details of existence, resided. Bella hoped they would still be connected to the door. Nonetheless, she enter the Astra herself to communicate with the spirits through mental imagery and telepathy. This whole thing hinged on the spirits actually wanting to communicate, which they did not always wish to do so.
Bella closed her eyes and entered the Astra by way of the Collective though her own mind. The Collective was controlled by human thought, by everyone: by the collective unconscious of humanity, including the eldritch. Anyone could travel there, if they knew how, and meet with others just as they would in the real world. Although she didn't physically leave the room, she sent her spirit though mental imagery and began to telepathically call to the spirits of the wood and stone of the door.
* * * * *
Na'ethal went further into the Reverie than the even the bookstore was located. There he could see the small spirit messenger he summoned, floating around him like a small golden, glowing ball of light that would record his voice. The books in the room were just vague shapes, blurry and indistinct; but he could see the magick that the bookstore held within the pages of those books and flowing throughout the walls.
I hope they're together, he thought to himself as he decided to send the message to Kira. As he thought about her and pictured her in his mind, he said, “Ryan, Bella, Eolande, and I are looking for you. Don't be afraid. We will find you, but stop moving if it is safe. Stay where you are and watch for us to come to you.”
Then with a flick of his hand he send the spirit messenger on its way. It would automatically know where Kira was located; he wouldn't know, but the message would reach her nonetheless, and at least she and Cade would know they were searching for them.
* * * * * *
Bella returned to her body as Na'ethal stepped out of the Reverie. Ryan and Eolande entered the room, leaving Sebastian to guard the door. Not that anyone else had been in the library, but Cade and Kira's bodies were at risk without their minds and spirits.
“Well?” Ryan asked, staring at them in turn.
“I've sent the message,” Na'ethal replied. “At least they'll know we're searching.”
Bella sighed. “I know where they are. They're in Cade's Inner Sanctum. He must have taken Kira with him, which is how she entered.”
“So now you can open a spirit gate,” Ryan said. “Do it, and let's go.”
Bella shook her head. “I can't enter Cade's psyche without his permission or going with him. “Well,” she amended, “I could, but I'd have to sneak in. I don't feel right violating him in that manner. Inner Sanctums are vast, you know that, Ryan...and it's our seat of power. In there it could be dangerous and active, confusing or bizarre, or even tranquil and beautiful...and if we were to change a thought or intrude, our actions could cause Cade's own thoughts to build or destroy within his Inner Sanctum. Who knows what damage that could do to him, what danger that could put both of them in.”
Everyone was silent for a moment.
“I won't take that risk,” Bella said firmly. “No, we need to open a one way portal into his inner world, not a doorway. It must only go one way so that Cade will allow it and see it on his own.”
Eolande stared at the others with her deep green eyes. “You'll have to bring their bodies into the Reverie,” she reminded them, “through the entrance to Faeryland. I will send the portal into Cade's mind instead of out, then he can decide whether to use it to escape.”
Bella didn't have issues with traveling into the faery world, as she was not technically of the earth herself. But Ryan and Na'ethal rarely traveled there; and when they did they had seldom remained long. It was mostly the ever-changing landscape and the fluctuating passage of time that messed with their senses and minds.
“Why can't you do it here?” Ryan asked.
“It would destroy this room,” the faery answered. “However, no harm will come to the bodies.”
* * * * *
Having walked between worlds from the bookstore to where she stood in an instant, Eolande now stood in Faeryland waiting for the other immortals. They would travel the Reverie as planned and enter through the gate located in a forested area in one of the more rural suburbs northeast of the city itself. The entrance was deep down in the earth where a strong magical leyline crossed the land.
Faeryland was, and it wasn't...meaning it was an artificial home realm created by the faerie from pieces of land stolen from other realms. About the size of the Earth itself, although shrinking somewhat, the realm did indeed exist...but only between dimensional space and no where else, It was accessible only from the earth itself. But from there Eolande could open an interdimensional portal to one other realm at a time, which this time was Cade's Inner Sanctum.
She saw the others, Ryan and Na'ethal carrying the unconscious bodies of the young demon hunters, staring around at the tree she told them to look for. Opening the door from the inside, Eolande motioned them to enter. There was a moment of disorientation on their faces, except Ryan who merely stared around, as they stepped into a tree and out into a wide open swath of a meadow. Bella followed but Sebastian remained behind, having refused to enter the land of the crazies.
After the limp bodies were lain side by side, Eolande held her arms out to her sides and turned in a circle. Her movements created a circular pattern, a gallitrap...also known by mortals as a crop circle...that formed in the ground around them. Instead of sending the portal outward, the faery focused on Cade and reached down to pull a section of his Inner Sanctum toward her. A watery-looking circular shape hovered in the air over the bodies.
Then, since faeries exist beyond the physical form at all times, and their bodies were manifestations of spirit and energy, Eolande sent her own spirit spiraling downward to peer though the interdimensional portal. She winked out of sight with a wave, leaving Bella, Ryan, and Na'ethal standing in Faeryland.
Bella closed her eyes and entered the Astra by way of the Collective though her own mind. The Collective was controlled by human thought, by everyone: by the collective unconscious of humanity, including the eldritch. Anyone could travel there, if they knew how, and meet with others just as they would in the real world. Although she didn't physically leave the room, she sent her spirit though mental imagery and began to telepathically call to the spirits of the wood and stone of the door.
* * * * *
Na'ethal went further into the Reverie than the even the bookstore was located. There he could see the small spirit messenger he summoned, floating around him like a small golden, glowing ball of light that would record his voice. The books in the room were just vague shapes, blurry and indistinct; but he could see the magick that the bookstore held within the pages of those books and flowing throughout the walls.
I hope they're together, he thought to himself as he decided to send the message to Kira. As he thought about her and pictured her in his mind, he said, “Ryan, Bella, Eolande, and I are looking for you. Don't be afraid. We will find you, but stop moving if it is safe. Stay where you are and watch for us to come to you.”
Then with a flick of his hand he send the spirit messenger on its way. It would automatically know where Kira was located; he wouldn't know, but the message would reach her nonetheless, and at least she and Cade would know they were searching for them.
* * * * * *
Bella returned to her body as Na'ethal stepped out of the Reverie. Ryan and Eolande entered the room, leaving Sebastian to guard the door. Not that anyone else had been in the library, but Cade and Kira's bodies were at risk without their minds and spirits.
“Well?” Ryan asked, staring at them in turn.
“I've sent the message,” Na'ethal replied. “At least they'll know we're searching.”
Bella sighed. “I know where they are. They're in Cade's Inner Sanctum. He must have taken Kira with him, which is how she entered.”
“So now you can open a spirit gate,” Ryan said. “Do it, and let's go.”
Bella shook her head. “I can't enter Cade's psyche without his permission or going with him. “Well,” she amended, “I could, but I'd have to sneak in. I don't feel right violating him in that manner. Inner Sanctums are vast, you know that, Ryan...and it's our seat of power. In there it could be dangerous and active, confusing or bizarre, or even tranquil and beautiful...and if we were to change a thought or intrude, our actions could cause Cade's own thoughts to build or destroy within his Inner Sanctum. Who knows what damage that could do to him, what danger that could put both of them in.”
Everyone was silent for a moment.
“I won't take that risk,” Bella said firmly. “No, we need to open a one way portal into his inner world, not a doorway. It must only go one way so that Cade will allow it and see it on his own.”
Eolande stared at the others with her deep green eyes. “You'll have to bring their bodies into the Reverie,” she reminded them, “through the entrance to Faeryland. I will send the portal into Cade's mind instead of out, then he can decide whether to use it to escape.”
Bella didn't have issues with traveling into the faery world, as she was not technically of the earth herself. But Ryan and Na'ethal rarely traveled there; and when they did they had seldom remained long. It was mostly the ever-changing landscape and the fluctuating passage of time that messed with their senses and minds.
“Why can't you do it here?” Ryan asked.
“It would destroy this room,” the faery answered. “However, no harm will come to the bodies.”
* * * * *
Having walked between worlds from the bookstore to where she stood in an instant, Eolande now stood in Faeryland waiting for the other immortals. They would travel the Reverie as planned and enter through the gate located in a forested area in one of the more rural suburbs northeast of the city itself. The entrance was deep down in the earth where a strong magical leyline crossed the land.
Faeryland was, and it wasn't...meaning it was an artificial home realm created by the faerie from pieces of land stolen from other realms. About the size of the Earth itself, although shrinking somewhat, the realm did indeed exist...but only between dimensional space and no where else, It was accessible only from the earth itself. But from there Eolande could open an interdimensional portal to one other realm at a time, which this time was Cade's Inner Sanctum.
She saw the others, Ryan and Na'ethal carrying the unconscious bodies of the young demon hunters, staring around at the tree she told them to look for. Opening the door from the inside, Eolande motioned them to enter. There was a moment of disorientation on their faces, except Ryan who merely stared around, as they stepped into a tree and out into a wide open swath of a meadow. Bella followed but Sebastian remained behind, having refused to enter the land of the crazies.
After the limp bodies were lain side by side, Eolande held her arms out to her sides and turned in a circle. Her movements created a circular pattern, a gallitrap...also known by mortals as a crop circle...that formed in the ground around them. Instead of sending the portal outward, the faery focused on Cade and reached down to pull a section of his Inner Sanctum toward her. A watery-looking circular shape hovered in the air over the bodies.
Then, since faeries exist beyond the physical form at all times, and their bodies were manifestations of spirit and energy, Eolande sent her own spirit spiraling downward to peer though the interdimensional portal. She winked out of sight with a wave, leaving Bella, Ryan, and Na'ethal standing in Faeryland.