by R. A. Boyd
A groan of pain sounded off from behind them. They all turned around to see Sabastian trying to get up from the ground. He reached up and put his hands on either side of his head, twisting until the sound of crunching ice echoed as the bone and cartilage of his vertebra popped back into place.
Cass’s niece hurped and put the back of her hand to her mouth. “That’s awful and awesome at the same time..”
“He deserved it,” Cass said as she took a step toward him.
“Completely,” Laurel replied. “But still…”
Pain shown in Sabastian’s eyes as he stood on shaky legs, and when he found himself chest to face with Cass, he kneeled down on one knee. “My apologies. You make a great Third in the Triad.”
“Stand up,” Cass muttered. “You don’t have to do that.”
“I do,” he said, looking up at Cass and giving her a smile that usually pulled in any woman he wanted. “I’ve never been beaten up by a girl before.”
Jax cleared his throat. “Except Audra.”
“Except Audra,” Sebastian agreed. “That’s two women in all of creation that put me down.”
Damon pulled his shirt over his head and went to stand next to his mate. He lowered his face to her hair and inhaled. “What about that Deva back in Rome?”
“That was like six hundred years ago. And she snuck me.” Sabastian’s eyes lowered into slits as he seemed to think it over. “She doesn’t count. I wonder how she’s doing. I bet she’s still alive. I’m going to find that sultry minx.”
“Oh, my God,” Andi said. She pulled Cass in for a hug and then grabbed her daughter by the hand. “We’re leaving. I do not want to watch fallen angels get their blood taken for any reason.”
Laurel nodded in agreement and moved to give Cass a sideways hug. “We’ll be in New Rose for two weeks, Aunt Cass. Maybe we can try dinner again with the Ghosts when there’s less blood and breaking bones.”
“Good luck,” both Willow and Cass said at the same time.
They both laughed and watched Andi and Laurel walk away.
“By Laurel,” Cole called out. “See you later, Cass’s sister.”
Never slowing down or bothering to turn around, Andi put up her middle finger over her shoulder. “Go fuck yourself, asshole.”
“Mom,” her daughter whined as she grabbed the passenger side door of a blue hatchback and practically shoved her mother inside.
Ronin watched as they drove off and snorted in his throat.
“What’s so funny?” Willow asked.
She bumped his arm with her shoulder, and the warmth in her eyes touched a part of him that he never knew existed. Much like his beast had been dormant—before it went fucking insane— that piece of him that lived only for her had been asleep for millennia. Having her touch him last week made it spring to life and cling to the freedom he now had.
Ronin lifted his hand and pushed a dark lock of her hair behind her ear. She leaned into his touch. He wanted nothing more than to kiss her right now. Not the kind of kiss that would communicate to her how fucking badly he wanted to sink his cock into her pussy, but the kind that would show her how much he loved and appreciated her existence.
“Watching everyone hate and love each other at the same time is funny. I missed this.” Hoping like hell Samiyah was somewhere distant and unreachable, Ronin lowered his lips to her forehead and kissed her there.
Her caramel-coated skin was just as soft and warm as he knew it would be. He let his lips linger for a few moments, and when he pulled away, her amber eyes were focused solely on him. Willow’s lips quirked to the side in a bashful grin.
“I liked that,” she whispered. She stood on her toes and kissed just below the curve of his bottom lip. “I can’t wait until it’s just you in there so we can have some privacy.”
Sabastian’s bellyaching pulled Ronin’s attention from Willow. “Aren’t we even?” he asked Damon. “My neck is still healing. And so are my ribs. Cass broke at least two when she punched me.”
Damon sucked his teeth and rested his hand on Sabastian’s shoulder. “You know it’s the way of our clan, dumbass. I’m still going to bleed you for threatening to come at Cass in a less than desirable fashion. Count your blessings that Ronin and Willow need your blood first.”
Despite the neck-breaking and name-calling, this clan had always been the best. Much like this morning, he looked over his family and truly felt happy. They may fight and try to kill each other, but they always had each other’s backs. There would never be a doubt in his mind about that.
◆◆◆
Ronin’s heart hammered in his chest as he watched Willow explain the changes in the spell she had to make. Earlier, she gave Paige the books she needed to read and prepare herself for the incantation. She’d listed all the swaps and safeguards needed to make sure they didn’t kill Ronin in the process.
The waning sunlight hit the trees at just the right angle to make the leaves look like they were on fire. The red and yellow sky with fading hints of blue was clear of any clouds. The moon and the sun both shone as if they were saying good-bye to one another. It was beautiful beneath the canopy of oaks and pines, but the three-foot deep hole surrounded by a ring of rock salt took away from the natural beauty of the woods.
He’d known they were going to do the spell eventually, but having them sit and talk about it in front of him put him on edge. Samiyah needed to be ejected from his body, but knowing he was moments away from having a difficult spell performed on him bothered him to no end.
What if it didn’t work? Willow would blame herself. No matter what he said to comfort her, Ronin knew she wouldn’t forgive herself.
Paige sighed and shrugged. “Are you sure I’m not going to kill him? Or burn the skin and muscle from his body? That’s what all that extra stuff is for, right?”
Wait. Was that a possibility? Ronin had experienced his fair amount of pain in his lifetime, but burning the skin and muscle from his body might not be easy to come back from.
“That’s why I added these herbs,” Willow said, pointing at the page. “The basil, peppermint, angelica, and a whole list of other herbs will help keep him safe. We need these to bypass his skin and muscle to pretty much transcend to a spiritual level and purge Samiyah from him.” She looked up at Ronin and gave him a worried smile. “You’ll be fine. If you were human, we could just pour Heaven’s Flame over your body and say the spell. But you’re not, so we can’t. I’ve worked out everything. This is going to work. And you’ll still have your skin and muscles.”
Ronin tried to calm his demeanor. Knowing he was scared shitless would probably make things worse for Willow and Paige. “I trust you. Just tell me what to do.”
Willow chewed her bottom lip as she watched him, and he could feel the anxiety rolling off of her in waves. She looked down at his binding bracelet. “There are six runes left. That bracelet is going to be the key of you not choking on the potion. It has Heaven’s Flame in it.”
“And then,” Paige said, using the tip of her finger to keep track of something on the page she held in her hand. “Once the potion works its way through your body, I’m going to pull the Flame over myself and step into the salt circle with you. And then I’ll cover you with it.”
Willow clapped her hands together. “Then we’ll recite the spell. Zeke will be there to add in any extra holding spells we need. The other Ghost shifters will be strategically placed around us to make sure your beast doesn’t try to force you to escape. And that’s when Cass will come in. She’ll step in and bleed the rage from you. She’s done it before with Audra. Here,” she said, pushing a small cup toward him. “Step into the circle and drink this. Hey, guys,” she said, looking up.
Cass, Jax, Zeke, and Aiden walked toward them. The grim looks on their faces made Ronin even more uneasy. The closer they got, the more he could tell they were all worried. Not only for him but for Willow and Paige. This was going to be hard on all of the people included in any part of the spell. From Samiyah
being purged from his body to Cass freeing his saber-tooth of its rage. They were putting their safety on the line for him.
For him.
God, how he wished he could go back and have himself put down before he went on his rampage all those years ago. Fuck. He still needed to tell Zeke who he was. He should have done it earlier, but it was now or never. If Heaven’s Flame got loose in and on his body, he might never get the chance.
“Zeke,” Ronin said. “I need to talk to you for a minute.” He looked at Willow. “It won’t take long.”
Zeke handed Willow a bronze-colored bowl full of flowers and some kind of liquid. He walked toward Ronin and nodded. “Everything all right, man? We’re going to fix this. Don’t worry.”
Ronin took a deep breath and lifted his hand to put on Zeke’s shoulder, but thought better of it. He was inside the circle and didn’t want to mess up the spell. “I know you don’t remember me. I was different back then. Hell, when I used to look in the mirror leading up to that day, I didn’t even recognize myself. My beast was changing me. Physically.”
Confusion covered Zeke’s face. “I’m not sure what you mean.”
“Zeke. Before I went to Ireland with Audra and Gabe, I got a Calling to take care of something.”
Zeke’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Wow. A Calling. That’s…”
“Shit,” Aiden said, breaking away from his conversation with Willow and Cass. “What was it? I know I’m in your business, but so the fuck what. Keep talking.”
“What’s a ‘Calling?’”, Cass asked as she looked between Ronin, Zeke, and Aiden. “Sorry to intrude, but you know.” She pointed toward her ears and shrugged. “Shifter hearing. Besides, I want to know.”
Ronin huffed a laugh. He hoped Zeke wouldn’t be upset with him for doing this in front of everyone, but he didn’t know how much time he had left.
“A Calling is a divine communication,” Ronin said as he looked down into the cup Willow passed to him.
Being put on the spot like this made his throat tighten and his stomach flip. He should have made time to talk to Zeke when he could tell him while no one watched him; while no one asked questions. He thought he had time, but Samiyah’s will was eating through the runes that kept him at bay deep inside Ronin’s head. So he had to tell Zeke now. He may not get another chance.
Ronin glanced between Cass and Paige and tried to keep his gaze away from his fellow fallen angels. “It’s a message from the Host of the Creator. Prophets, saints, and people like that usually get a Calling. Hell, sometimes a person who feels like they deserve nothing and are worth even less get Called to perform one small act that can change the lives of many. They are being called to bear witness or do something instructed by the Creator.” He looked up at Zeke and frowned. “It was like someone picked me up by the collar of my shirt and the back of my pants while they whispered into my head. My beast was raging by that point, and for a moment, I thought the damn thing was fucking with me. Hell, my beast was toying with the idea of killing a group of people at a carnival when it happened, but the Calling cleared my head just enough for me to walk away. I wouldn’t have killed anyone, though. I was still in control of my body at that point. Anyway, I got Called to go to a hidden spot we refer to as the Valleys of the Earth. I had to free someone.”
Ronin could see recognition seep into Zeke’s body as he heard those words. Valleys of the Earth. Zeke froze, eyes growing wide as his mouth gaped open, and looked at Ronin with a myriad of emotions flashing across his face. After staring at each other for at least a full minute, Zeke trembled as his lips flattened to a thin line.
“Fuck,” Zeke panted out. “It was you. You came in and…” Tears fell from his eyes as he blinked, and he used the back of his hand to wipe them away. “You came into the darkness and set me free. It was you.”
“I don’t understand. Valleys of the Earth,” Paige said, lifting her soft hazel eyes from the pages she studied. “Why does that sound familiar?”
Zeke ran his hand over his head as more rolled down his face. His chest rose and fell as if he fought for the air he sucked into his lungs. “I was one of the Watchers,” he whispered, shame laced through each syllable. “Angels who were supposed to slowly guide humans toward a greater purpose. A group of us deviated from our set path and taught the humans everything at once. We coupled with their women. The crafts we taught were too much too soon. It drove many of the people mad. They became power-hungry. They began to destroy everything. I… The other Watchers and I were the main reason for the Great Flood. Our children were the Nephilim. Horrible, sadistic creatures. They pretended to be Gods and caused such destruction. We were locked away in the Valleys of the Earth as punishment. We were to be there until the end of this age. But I was set free. I was repentant for what I’d done. None of the others were.”
“The others Watchers sat rotting in their cells,” Ronin said as he stared at the silvery potion. Leaves of peppermint and other herbs he didn’t know float around in the dancing mixture. “They were awful to behold. Their evil nature shone through their bodies. You were the only one who still looked like an angel. Your light led me to you. It was so dark, but as soon as I opened the chamber I knew exactly who I was supposed to release,” he muttered as he looked at Zeke.
Ronin would never forget the misery as he walked through the dark, decrepit corridor for what seemed like hours before he reached the chamber where the Watchers were held. The stone door into their prison was fifteen or twenty feet high. It bore symbols from dead languages, languages that had not yet been created, and runes known only to those who were among the first created by the Creator. There was no key or doorknob, but the door itself behaved as if it sensed his presence. It slowly swung open as Ronin stood there, waiting to gain entrance.
Dim, fire lit sconces were the only source of light that barely illuminated the space. While he stood in that forsaken place all those decades ago, his mind cleared just enough to know he was about to behold something no other being would ever see again. Hell, even his beast had stopped its malicious ramblings as they waited to gain entrance. The saber-tooth had known that the malevolent beings waiting in the cells on the other side of that door would cow it into submission and make its thoughts of murder seem minuscule.
“I walked into where you were all being held,” Ronin said, eyes closed as he relived that horrid moment in his head. “Cells lined both sides of the hall, as far as the eye could see, but I knew the tales. There were two hundred of you being held.”
Simple cells with a bed, chair, and desk. And a Watcher. They watched him as he walked down the hall, waiting for a sign to let him know which being he was there to set free. The light of their ancient, angelic bodies did not shine. Not like it should have. All angels in their pure form are filled with light. But those things in the cells were dark. Empty.
They yelled and screamed and raged at him as he walked by their cells, cursing him for not setting them free. Cursing him for simply being free.
Their faces and bodies were just as beautiful as you would expect from an angel, but the vile words that dripped from their mouths were rantings straight from every hell dimension ever created.
Beautiful faces of every hue, graceful bodies of every shape and size, bright eyes that long ago could inspire hope and peace and love, dreadful smiles that at first had spoken sweetly to him, beckoning Ronin to set them free. But the true nature of their minds shown through as he ignored them. If the Calling hadn’t driven him to find Zeke, Ronin would have turned and run from that place with a modicum of his sanity still intact.
But then there was Ezeqeel.
Now, as they stood in the wooded area of the Ghost shifter community, Ronin looked up at Zeke and smiled. He knew that if he made it through the spell Willow and Paige had planned for him, he and Zeke would be friends, bonded by the horrors they’d both witnessed in the valleys of the Earth.
Ronin gave a sharp nod of his head. “You were the only one who didn’t threaten me with
death. The only one who still held on to the shine of creation. That’s how I knew you were the one I was supposed to set free. I knew you weren’t expecting anyone to save you, but when I touched the door and it opened, you stood right up and followed me out. You looked just as scared shitless as I was.”
Zeke huffed a laugh and shook his head. “I was. But I wasn’t going to pass up the chance of freedom. I knew it was happening for a reason, and I did not want to question it.”
Ronin lifted the cup in a silent salute to the people who stood there with him, listening to his every word and ready to help him in every way they could. “Being down there in the darkness amongst those monsters was the one time in my life where I was afraid for my safety. And it was that handful of moments that drove me over the edge of madness. Every step I took, every shout and evil threat from those dark angels, pushed me closer and closer to the insanity that finally consumed me in Ireland with Audra and Gabe. The darkness would consume me no more.”
With tears streaming down her beautiful face, Willow gasped and dropped a bottle she held. It landed on the soft earth with a gentle thud that echoed through the silence of his family.
“That’s what you kept saying the night the coven and I came to get you,” Willow whispered as Cass moved to comfort her. “Over and over, in so many languages. I remember it so clearly.”
Ronin wanted to go and hold her, make her feel better. Tell her that she didn’t need to cry for him anymore. But he didn’t want to break the salt circle he now stood inside of. “I felt like the darkness of those angels hitched a ride on my skin and soul on the way out. My beast lost his shit after that. Right after I came home from letting Zeke out of that cell, Audra and Gabe told me to pack a bag. And then we left for Ireland.”
