Awakening Angel

by Brandt, Eva

  I laughed and laughed, watching the flames dance over my skin, wishing I had felt the temperature, or better yet, that it had melted away my ability to feel altogether. It was much too late. The damage was already done. I had met my soulmate, and because of that, both my fate and hers were sealed.

  Four

  Wounds

  Malachai

  If someone had asked me a few days back what I believed I’d feel the day I met my soulmate, I would’ve probably hedged and lied through my fangs. I’d had the vague notion that maybe it would be like the combination of helplessness, protectiveness, and yearning I often experienced when I was around Declan.

  As it turned out, I hadn’t been entirely wrong. Considering my current circumstances, that provided me with little comfort.

  I watched Prince Darius’s enforcers take the still unconscious Declan away and pondered everything that had happened tonight. In a way, I supposed it wasn’t so surprising that Declan and I would have the same soulmate. She had been beautiful, her hair as dark as the night that perpetually lived in my soul, but with a fire that burned as brightly as the sun most vampires still had so much trouble with. Even if she’d only been a human, she had somehow managed to help Declan and keep him from succumbing to his wounds before help could arrive.

  In a different world, we could have been so very happy together. Maybe Declan didn’t love me that way, but I didn’t think he would’ve necessarily minded sharing his soulmate with me. Of course, that was a moot point, since she could never be his, or mine. I had never hated being an Accursed more.

  I clenched my teeth so hard my fangs sliced the interior of my lower lip. This was idiotic. I had my orders, and I needed to obey them. For the moment, Prince Darius didn’t seem to have noticed what had happened, and I had no intention of providing information he had not requested. I’d talk things through with Declan when he recovered. Until then, I needed to pretend everything was all right, or as all right as life could be at any point in time for a vampire guardian.

  Declan’s family provided me with a distraction. Like Cyrus had said, Alpha Whelan refused to leave and kept trying to wriggle his way past the blockade of enforcers currently sealing off the whole street. I admired him a little for that. The relationship between The Pure Kingdom of Alaria and the Banished was strained to say the least since the actions of people like Declan’s former pack were considered against Alarian law. Here in the United States, we didn’t hunt one another, but that was because three-quarters of the time, our hands were full with dealing with groups of scavengers. In other countries, Kai wouldn’t have gotten away with his behavior.

  Like Prince Darius had said, I had to step in quickly, to make sure the situation didn’t change because Kai pushed too far. As I made my way there, I could already hear him arguing with Enforcer Serena Ayers, futilely trying to extract any kind of information from her. “At least tell me how he is. Declan might be a guardian now, but he is still my brother.”

  “I am not at liberty to divulge any information about Guardian Whelan’s condition,” Serena replied. “I must insist that you depart before you jeopardize our efforts to minimize the damage done to the area.”

  “Just because you don’t have feelings doesn’t mean that—”

  “Alpha Whelan,” I cut him off before he could finish the sentence, “you need to return to your pack. Your brother is already en route to the Palasion to receive medical attention.”

  He turned toward me, and his eyes—so much like Declan’s—seemed to pierce my soul. “He’s alive then?”

  “Yes. He survived the battle, although he was injured. I can’t tell you more about his exact condition since I am no healer, but I believe that he should make a full recovery.”

  Kai let out a slow, relieved breath, and I wondered how much of a struggle this was for him. Declan might not have said it, but he had always found it difficult to live without a pack, and that need was part of the reason why he and I had gotten so close. To what extent did Kai feel his little brother’s absence?

  It was not something I was in a position to ask, and I wouldn’t have had the time to do it even had I felt so inclined. Kai straightened his back and the concern he had previously displayed faded under a mask that would’ve made any Alarian jealous. “Thank you. I appreciate the information. Until we meet again, Guardian Braun, I trust you will make good use of the gift we have provided you.”

  Without another word, he turned on his heel and stalked off. I had no idea what had become of his beta, but I assumed other members of his pack must’ve shown up to take him to safety and give him medical attention, just like the enforcers had, for us.

  In some ways, we weren’t that different. We all wanted the same thing. We all fought for the well-being of our soulmates. But even so, people like Kai would never understand the Alarian creed, and for that reason, the abyss between him and Declan was insurmountable.

  Even Serena seemed to have realized this, despite her inability to empathize with anyone. “The Banished are so odd,” she commented. “It’s interesting how they refuse to give up, even when Guardian Whelan has long ago become one of us.”

  That was generous of her to say, although not completely accurate. Guardians like Declan and I would never belong anywhere. We had left behind our roots because of our convictions and had joined the Alarian Guardian Corps to protect soulmates at all costs. Our beliefs were a perfect match to the Alarian way of life, but that didn’t change the fact that we were not Pures.

  “Giving up isn’t really in a werewolf’s nature,” I belatedly answered. “Alpha Whelan is no different.”

  I might have said something else, but through the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of an empty-armed Cyrus continuing to coordinate the evacuation of the humans. By now, the ambulances had already shown up, so it stood to reason that he must have left Lucienne there.

  I should have stayed rooted in my spot, by Serena’s side. I should have waited for further orders or perhaps gone after Declan, to see how he was. Instead, when the club went up in flames—a consequence of Prince Darius’s potent magic, no doubt—I took advantage of a moment when Serena wasn’t paying attention and slipped away, heading in the direction I’d seen Cyrus coming from.

  I found my soulmate in an ambulance that was just about to leave. I’d gotten lucky because had I arrived one single minute later, I would’ve missed them.

  Under normal circumstances, I would have had trouble finding a way to actually see her, but being a guardian did come with some advantages. I tapped the hood of the car and said, “One moment. I need to verify the identity and condition of this patient.”

  Most of the medical staff that had shown up on the scene were human, but the Pures did have their own people infiltrated in every system in the country, to make sure the secrecy of our world was never jeopardized. The driver recognized me and allowed me to pass. He must’ve thought I was pursuing some kind of lead on behalf of the prince. It wouldn’t have been the first time guardians did something like this. If only he had known the truth.

  I entered the ambulance and took in the state of the beautiful, pale woman on the cot. I hated seeing her so motionless when she had been so fiery and defiant during our conversation. However, in a strange, brutal way, it helped me. It reminded me why I had chosen this path in life, why I had decided to become a guardian, and why I needed to go through with the promise I had made.

  “Her name is Lucienne Hastings,” the paramedic explained without me having to ask any questions. “As far as we can tell, her condition isn’t serious. Minor scrapes and bruises. The loss of consciousness suggests a possible concussion, but we’ve been unable to determine the location of the head trauma, so it might have been just because of shock. We are taking her to the hospital at once for additional check-ups.”

  I nodded, understanding what he wasn’t saying. I had known I didn’t have much time at my disposal even before I’d come here. But I’d wanted to see her, to remember her face better and c
arry that memory with me throughout the last days of my life.

  As long as I existed, she would never be safe. I would have liked to do so much more for her, to be able to protect her better, but since I could not, I would fulfill my vow.

  An image of Declan’s face flashed through my mind’s eye. If it had only been me, I would not have minded, but the idea of what would happen to him broke my heart more than driving a spike through it ever could.

  There was nothing I could do about it, though, nothing except make things a little easier for Declan. I would not tell him the truth about my connection to Lucienne. It would be better for him to not know about it. I’d offer him what little support I could, figure out the reason behind this whole idiotic attack, and then... Then...

  My mind refused to handle the rest of that thought, and I pushed it back altogether, choosing to focus on the still-present paramedic instead. “Thank you,” I told him in acknowledgment of his assistance. “We appreciate your cooperation. The information you’ve provided will be most useful in our quest to catch the culprit behind this crime.”

  For the most part, that was a lie, since Lucienne’s identity would tell us nothing about the group of scavengers that had attacked our meeting with Declan’s former pack. However, the paramedic did not know that.

  “Of course, Sir,” the man replied. “And as always, thank you for your service.”

  I was barely listening to him anymore. I didn’t care about such empty words, and this wasn’t the best time and place to use Alarian formalities anyway since the humans could overhear and find it strange. With one last nod, I left the ambulance and my soulmate behind.

  It was time to track down my best friend and make sure he didn’t do anything stupid that would get him killed sooner than expected.

  * * *

  Declan

  The life of a guardian involved many perils and came with almost guaranteed injury. When I had embarked on my mission, I had known this and had been ready for it. I’d received plenty of wounds, especially in the first months after my arrival, when I had been new to the job.

  None of what I’d experienced in the past prepared me for opening my eyes to the sight of the blue ceiling of the infirmary, feeling like I’d been run over by a horde of rampaging scavengers and, at the same time, vibrating with a strange awareness that had not been there before.

  A thought popped into my mind, although I couldn’t detect its source. I was not supposed to be here. Someone needed me. Someone important. I had to go find her, help her, save her. We had to be together, no matter what.

  I shoved the covers off, jerking myself free from the threads of magic that were meant to both monitor my life signs and ensure a speedy recovery. A healer would show up soon, alerted to my awakening due to me breaking the enchantment. By then, I intended to be long gone.

  My completely reasonable plan went awry the moment I jumped off the bed. As my feet made contact with the floor, my head cleared, and I noticed something I shouldn’t have missed, to begin with, the fact that I wasn’t alone in the room.

  Malachai leaned against the wall to my right, his arms crossed over his chest and his brow set in a small, barely perceivable frown. “Don’t,” he said. “Whatever you’re thinking of doing, you can’t go through with it.”

  At the back of my mind, my wolf growled angrily. I considered Malachai pack, my best friend, and on occasion, when I dared to think about it, even more than that. Just the same, I would not allow him to interfere with my mission.

  “Malachai,” I began, my voice thick with a warning, “you can’t stop me. Don’t even try. I’ll go through you if I must.”

  I could do it too. While Malachai and I were, overall, evenly matched, I always overpowered him when we sparred. It wasn’t just because of my superior physical strength. Most of my skills remained perfectly usable despite the fact that I was forced to fall in line with Alarian living standards. My friend was not so lucky, and he’d lost some of his more unique skills due to his inability to feed properly.

  Even so, Malachai was not intimidated by my threat. “I advise you to reconsider,” he answered, his voice just as level as before. “I know I can’t keep you from going if that’s what you really want to do, but first, I urge to calm down. Do you remember what happened? Do you even know why you feel the need to leave?”

  I opened my mouth, intending to provide a scathing retort. Of course I knew. Did my friend think I was an idiot? I needed to leave because my soulmate...

  My train of thought came to a screeching halt as the concept processed. Wait, my soulmate? Where... Where had that come from? When had that happened? I couldn’t... I couldn’t recall...

  Suddenly feeling woozy, I collapsed on the bed. My soulmate. Dear gods, this could not be happening. My entire life, I had hoped and prayed that this moment would never come, and now here I was, having been thrust into it with next to no preparation and barely any memory of it.

  No. I had to think. Like Malachai had said, I needed to get a grip, remember and find a solution to the problem. I was a guardian. I had made an oath, and I could still keep it. I just had to control my emotions and not panic.

  Slowly and surely, the memories came back to me. Malachai and I had gone to the meeting with Kai, to acquire the information needed for our assault on the group of scavengers Kai couldn’t handle on his own. We’d been attacked and almost overpowered, but we had fought back. Then, the conflict had spilled into that club and... There had been something else. The human woman!

  Oh, dear gods. The beautiful woman who had stood up to the scavengers, who hadn’t cowered away from the demonic power of the incubi, even if their mental manipulation could turn paranormals—Accursed or otherwise—into shadows of their former selves.

  I remembered rushing to her aid when the scavengers had converged upon us. And then, I had gotten shot and...

  My breath caught as I recalled what I had done in my last moments of consciousness. I had known, then, at some instinctual level, that the woman was my soulmate, even if we had not physically touched. Because of that, I had broken one of the most sacred rules of Alaria.

  It had not come without side-effects. While I had no coherent memories after the fateful moment of my decision, I did remember a warmth, a golden glow that had at one point enveloped me in a welcoming embrace. I would have been tempted to deem it related to the care I’d received from the Alarian healers, but at this point, I knew better than to think I’d ever be so lucky. No, there was only one thing in the world that felt like that, one single thing the warmth could’ve been. My stomach turned when I realized what it meant, what I had done and what I had become.

  My claws emerged and I reached for my own neck, ready to tear my own throat out and end my miserable, foul existence. Malachai caught my wrist, keeping me from going through with the justified punishment. The tips of my claws still raked over my neck, drawing blood, but I was prevented from doing any real damage.

  I would have made a second attempt, but Malachai didn’t give me the chance. “She’s not dead,” he said, his voice slicing through the haze of horror and self-loathing in my mind like a knife through butter. “She’s fine. She received some minor injuries, but nothing of real concern.”

  “W-What?” I stammered, hating the spark of hope Malachai’s words ignited in my chest. “That can’t be. You’re lying.”

  “You know better than to believe I’d lie to you about this, Declan,” Malachai replied. “Besides, you’re still alive, aren’t you?”

  The reasonable argument did what my faith in my friend could not. Malachai would lie about anything and anyone as long as it suited him, but our respective mates might indeed be the exception. That knowledge alone wouldn’t have convinced me, though, not without the clear, palpable evidence the simple rhetorical question provided.

  If my mate had been dead, I would have woken up in an entirely different setting. I wouldn’t have been given medical care of this quality. Malachai wouldn’t have been allowed
to see me. In fact, the moment I’d recovered consciousness, there would’ve probably been a perfunctory trial, followed by an execution.

  Clearly, my superiors did not deem me a criminal, which could only mean that Malachai was telling the truth and the beautiful woman was unscathed.

  “How?” I asked. “How can this be?”

  “We got lucky,” Malachai said, releasing his hold on my wrist. “While you were distracting the leader of the group and getting yourself shot for your trouble, our reinforcements showed up. Your brother had a few extra wolves stationed nearby too, and between all of us, we managed to remove the threat, with no casualties to our forces.

  “As for your human... Well, for some reason, she decided to try to kill herself while healing you. I don’t know what could’ve possessed her to do that, or how she could’ve known that touching you would help in any way, but it did work. She returned the power you gave her, transferred some of her own life force into you for good measure, and saved your life.

  “I noticed the problem just in time and pulled her away before the process could be completed. By the time I intervened, she had fixed enough that your body pushed out the silver bullet on its own, but even so, she didn’t receive any lasting damage.

  “Prince Darius showed up after that, and everyone got too distracted by the information your brother gave us to look into the details too closely. It’s a small miracle that the USB stick even survived all that chaos. Anyway, His Highness wrapped up everything like usual and modified your soulmate’s memories. She was delivered to the hospital, to recover with her loved ones. I checked up on her very briefly before the ambulances left, and the paramedics told me that the only issue of concern was her loss of consciousness, which I surmise must’ve been caused by the memory blur.