Sacrificial Lamb (The Other Angels Book 1)

by Ashley Nicole

  Go out the door.

  There's that voice again. Its inside my head and it’s my voice but it sounds so foreign, like it doesn't belong there.

  I shake my head. It’s probably the medicine wearing off. I make my way across the room and open the door, shocked that its unlocked. Peering out into the dark hallway I don't see or hear anyone.

  Go left.

  My instincts must be kicking in. I don't remember being brought in here but maybe I was awake enough for my subconscious to secure the memory. I turn left and tiptoe through the darkness. Is it nighttime or is the mansion always this dark? The black floor and walls are a big change in scenery from my white prison room.

  Stop.

  My feet stop moving. I frown, puzzled. I didn’t have any intention to stop. What is going on?

  Open the door on your right.

  I reach for the doorknob. This quick response time in communication between my brain and my body is dizzying. The door swings open and inside there is a round black table like in a conference room. Seated at the table is Michael, Matthew, and the guy I just met. Was his name Cain? Why did I come to this room? I'm already caught before I've even tried to escape.

  "Well Kathryn, how are you feeling?" Michael sneers at me. I stare, unable to form words.

  “Wait. Something doesn't seem right." Cain frowns and his brow creases as he thinks.

  Bow.

  Bow? Why would I bow? Why would I think that? Regardless, I bend forward awkwardly to the three captors, and torturers, staring at me. Something’s wrong with me.

  “That's better." Cain leans back in his chair and Michael laughs. The sound makes my stomach clench. Why are they so relaxed? I’m out roaming the halls and they don’t seem to care. "Kathryn, I believe Michael asked you a question."

  Answer him.

  I search for words, but they tumble out of my mouth without much assistance. "I'm feeling okay now that I'm up and moving again but my head seems to literally have a mind of its own." Why did I tell them that? Maybe they can tell me what's wrong since they were the ones pumping meds and who knows what else into me.

  Cain looks at Michael skeptically.

  "It’s a new normal that she will get used to. She can sense it, maybe even question it at times, but since it’s tapped into her own brain, she can’t do anything about it." Michael says to Cain as if he's trying to reassure him of something. “I also erased the memory of the conversation we had in front of her so she wouldn’t know exactly what we did.”

  "Does this control have limitations?" Cain asks Michael. They both ignore me, but Matthew watches my face with a look of wonder.

  "None. She will do anything."

  "Even if she knows?" Cain gives me a sidelong glance. Even if I know what? What are they talking about? What did they do to me?

  "It doesn't matter. Your will is there and she is not strong enough to break it."

  "Even so, just to be safe." Cain looks directly at me.

  Don't think about this conversation.

  What conversation? I shake my head again. Why is Matthew watching me like that?

  "Why not test her? See what you can do?" Michael asks. "Think of something simple that you don't believe she would do on her own."

  Cain looks as if he is in deep thought then comes back to focus on me. "What is your opinion of Matthew?"

  Answer honestly.

  The words that come to mind I couldn't have picked better myself, even though I did pick them, right? "I used to like him a lot. Even when we were kids, I had a crush on him. After he moved away, I always wished he'd find me again and then it would be like one of those romance movies and we would fall in love. Between that delusion and Michael's emotion manipulation, I developed feelings for him. Now that I am here, and I see him for what he truly is I feel betrayed by him." Why did I tell him that?

  Cain's eyebrows raise. "So, you would say you hate him now and all those previous romantic feelings are gone?"

  “Yes."

  Kiss Matthew.

  Why the hell would I kiss Matthew? I just said I hated him. What is going on? What is wrong with me?

  Even with my panic rising I walk around the table to where Matthew is sitting. He looks up at me in confusion. I lean down, putting my hands on his face, and bring my lips to his. Kissing Matthew now is like a stab to the heart. I do feel betrayed by him, but I don't think it's all his fault. And even worse here I am, yet again, doing this behind Scotty's back.

  Matthew kisses me back, his lips mold to mine, but he is the one to break away first. He turns his face from me. "Was that necessary Cain? I think that was torture for both of us."

  Cain's smile is dark. "Do you hate her too?"

  "No. It was torture because I knew it wasn't real."

  "It was never real. Get over it." He waves a dismissive hand.

  I don’t understand. It seems that somehow Cain knows what I’m doing when I don’t. He did something to me, but what? Can he read my mind?

  “Kathryn, why don't you take a seat while we finish talking?" Cain gives me a glance. I sit hoping they will say something I can use later to bring them down with Scotty and Amanda when I make it back to them. And I will make it back to them. I promise that to myself right now. Pinky promise.

  Nothing in this conversation is about you.

  How could I know that? Somehow, I do. But whoever it is about they must be important, and I need to pay attention to every detail I can.

  "I am impressed with your work Michael, but I am questioning yours, Matthew." Cain stares at Matthew so intensely that I feel like he's going to catch fire any minute.

  “You told me to find someone who could multiply and lead your army and that's what I did." Matthew leans back and kicks his feet up on the table.

  "I told you to bring me the best. What you have brought me is a lamb to lead sheep against wolves."

  "What I brought you is an alpha wolf disguised as a lamb."

  "Explain yourself." Cain drums his fingers on the table.

  "Well first off, she is a part of the group that have regained their memories and not only that, but she helped bring back the memories of four others as well."

  Cain’s fingers stop and his body goes rigid. "How?"

  "She used the gate! Cain, I'm telling you she's clever.” Matthew sits up and slams his fist down onto the table. “She may be shy and quiet but she's observant and she has a charismatic quality about her. All she has to do is smile and ask nicely and people do whatever she wants. It’s not just here in your Kingdom of mindless sheep either. I've seen her do it on Earth. If you just turn up the charisma dial, she will be beyond persuasive. You’ll have all of humanity at your fingertips." Matthew smiles pleased with himself.

  I have no idea who they're talking about, but she sounds incredible. Incredible and dangerous.

  "And you think she's capable of handling this?"

  "She has determination like no one I've seen before. If it’s in her head to do something, then she will do it. And if you’re what’s in her head, well then, you can see the potential I’m sure.”

  "Very well. Matthew, we’ll try out your choice in the upcoming battle that I sense is coming. We’ll see how strong your lamb is." Cain turns back to me. "Can we talk privately, Kathryn?"

  "Uh, sure." What would he want to talk about with me? Maybe he thinks I know who he and Matthew were talking about, but I don't. There must be another group of people who have regained their memories because I know it’s not me and it can't be Amanda. She's anything but shy and quiet.

  Michael and Matthew stand up and leave. As the door closes behind them, I almost wish they had stayed. Cain creeps me out.

  Answer all questions put to you by Cain.

  Well I don’t think I had much of a choice anyways. If I refuse Cain, I feel like he could snap his fingers and I'd cease to exist. Is that possible?

  “We will start out easy. How did you die, Kathryn?" Cain studies me like I am a science project. That's starting out easy? W
hat else is he planning on asking?

  "I killed myself by jumping off a bridge."

  "When you entered the Kingdom did you keep your memories?"

  "No, when I passed through the gate for Michael, I lost them, but then Scotty brought them back." Why did I tell him that?

  “How did he do that?"

  "He went back to Earth and got a locket that he had given me and somehow it woke me up." Shut up! Shut up! Why can’t I stop? He’s going to go after Scotty because of this!

  "How did he go to Earth?"

  "He used a gold bracelet he found here." It’s like I don’t have control over my own mind. But if I don’t… who does? Or how? Or why?

  Cain’s eyes alight at the mention of the bracelet and his smile grows dark in contrast. “How did he keep his memories when he entered the Kingdom?"

  "He and Amanda said it was something about free will. They were pushed through the gate and their memories came back on their own."

  "How did you get the memories back of the other four?"

  “I asked them to go through the gate a second time." Cain is learning too much. Why am I telling him all this?

  Cain sits quietly in thought. That round of questioning must be over. What else is left for him to ask? I should take this chance to question him. "Who are you?"

  "Did I say you could speak yet?" His anger flares up.

  I know I should stay quiet, but I answer anyway. “No."

  The anger fades as quickly as it came, and he looks at me in amusement. "How much do you know about Adam and Eve's first two children?"

  "Their names were Cain and Abel. Abel was a good, hardworking person and won favor with God. Cain became jealous so he killed Abel."

  Cain smiles but there is no humor in his eyes. Is he really that Cain? The one who murdered his own brother when the world was beginning?

  "What is it that you and your friends are planning?" he asks. I guess he found more questions.

  "We want to give everyone back their memories and then somehow stop you and your angels." That, at least, felt good to say.

  He brings his fist down onto the table. "That is not going to happen!"

  Leave. Go back to your room.

  Is he going to let me leave if I try? I stand up and watch him cautiously as I head for the door. Once in the hall I retrace my steps back to the room I woke up in earlier.

  What do I do now? I look around the room. My eyes stop at the door. Why don't I run away now? No one is watching.

  I take quick steps to the door. This is going to be easier than I thought. I grab the doorknob, but it starts to turn in my hand and the door opens with Matthew standing there holding a tray of food.

  "Where do you think you're going, Katie Cat?" He kicks the door shut and walks over to the bed to sit the tray down.

  "Don't call me that."

  “Hey, I'm not the one who kissed you." He holds his hands up in a gesture of surrender. Then he laughs as if this whole thing is a game. It probably is to him.

  "I only did that to look weak so maybe I'd get the chance to escape but no, I get you." That was the weakest lie I’ve ever told, and he knows it. Why did I kiss him?

  Matthew puts a hand on his chest. "I'm hurt. I thought you'd be happy it was me and not Michael bringing you dinner."

  Secretly I am glad its him, but I won't admit that to him. "It’s not like I have to eat anyways, so you can take that food away and leave." I turn my back to him and cross my arms. Then I let them relax. “But you said the machines were monitoring my hunger…” My words trail off as I start to question that. How did I have hunger? And vitals? And my heartrate went crazy…

  "It was. In order to do what Michael had to do he had to temporarily bring you back to life. So technically you probably were famished."

  I whip around to face him. "I was alive?"

  "Only for a few hours. No big deal." He gives a dismissive wave.

  "If you're going to keep making words make them good ones." No big deal? I was alive!

  "Fine, what words should I say?" Matthew hops up on the bed and swings his legs while watching me.

  "What are you?"

  "A dead man." He chuckles.

  "But your eyes turn silver?"

  "I have angel blood in me so I can act as a transmitter when I go to Earth and Michael manipulates human emotions." He nibbles at one of the sandwiches from the tray.

  “How does the transmitting thing work?”

  “It’s really my emotions that Michael controls from the monitors, but instead of me feeling them I can push them onto someone else. I just have to be in the vicinity and you basically become my empath on a more extreme level. It also works better through touch. That’s why I’d play with your hair or hold your waist. Well, one of the reasons. It also works better on people who are already emotionally unstable. That’s why everyone here is similar in age, because being a young adult is so hard.” He lets the sarcasm in on the last part.

  He's actually going to answer my questions? I need to learn all that I can. "What is Cain?"

  "Same as me but more powerful. He's our leader."

  "What is Michael?"

  "An angel." He rolls his eyes and looks at me as if that one was obvious.

  "He's not an angel. What did he do to me? Am I going to be like you?"

  "Not exactly. You don't have any angel blood in you."

  "Then what am I?" Are my eyes silver now?

  "I can't tell you that. You’re just something different."

  "Of course not." Frustrated I start to walk the length of the room. Once I reach the wall I stop. "You were going to tell me about a war earlier. Tell me now."

  Go to sleep.

  Why would I want to go to sleep? Even though I’m against the idea, I still feel the heaviness pull against my body. "Get off my bed, I want to go to sleep."

  Matthew moves and pulls back the blanket for me. "Yeah I didn't think he’d let you go much longer," he says quietly as if to himself.

  “Huh?"

  "Nothing. Sleep well." He walks over and opens the door as he flips off the lights but then turns back to me. I watch his dark figure framed by the light from the hallway. "And, Katie? Even if you do escape from here, you will never be free of Cain." His voice is low and sad. Not threatening. He closes the door and the last thing I hear is the bolt clicking in place.

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  Wake up.

  My eyes fly open. How long was I asleep for? I don't remember falling asleep. I sit up and stretch. Only moments pass before I hear the bolt in the door open. I'm not surprised to see Matthew waltz in.

  "Are Cain and Michael too high and mighty to be on prison duty?"

  “I volunteer to be the one to check up on you." Matthew strides across the room and sits in the chair.

  “Why?"

  "Well for one, you're probably lonely and those two won't talk to you unless it’s to get more information and two, I just want to see you."

  I think about that for a minute. He sounds so sincere but how can I trust anything he says? "What do you guys have planned for me today?"

  "Something that you will like at first but only because you don't know what's really happening."

  "Could you be any more cryptic?"

  "I could actually." He cocks his head to the side.

  "Figures." We sit quietly for a while. "How long do I have before I find out?"

  He shrugs. "I'm not sure but it’s not right now."

  "You say so many words without really saying anything." I shake my head.

  "Well, it’s not my call."

  "Then if I have time, can you tell me about the war now?"

  "You're just dying to hear that story, aren't you?"

  "Yeah, so much so that I'm already dead." A small smile plays on my lips while Matthew freely laughs out loud.

  I lay back down, roll over to face Matthew, and prop my head up on my hand. Matthew leans back and begins talking. "The war started back in the beginning after some angels de
scended into Hell. Even though they had their own place they still thought that how the other angels lived was better. It wasn't jealousy exactly, they just wanted to be equal."

  "Why did they leave to begin with?"

  "Different views about humans. The angels that stayed in Heaven wanted to leave the humans be after they died. The angels from Hell thought that was wasteful. They thought the humans could be used for other purposes."

  “Like being soldiers in their army?"

  "That wasn't the plan to begin with. They thought about populating other planets and giving them another life. Using them as soldiers is only a necessity now."

  "If Cain is your leader does that make him Satan? And where is God? He wouldn't allow all this killing."

  "God and Satan are more like ideas that people have personified, not actual beings. They have a mental presence in the minds that accept them. They can tell the angels what to do and give them the power to do it, but that’s about it.”

  I ponder that for a moment. I see how that can still fit religious beliefs but it’s still a crazy idea. "Since Cain is your leader then who is the leader of the angels in Heaven?"

  "Who do you think?"

  “Abel?"

  "Ding ding! We have a winner!" He waves around jazz hands and I roll my eyes and catch myself smiling again. I hide it before Matthew continues. "Cain is convinced that Abel has an army of humans himself and is going to lead an attack here on the Kingdom any day. That is why we have been gaining so many humans lately. Cain wants to be ready to protect the Kingdom and his angels."

  "If Abel didn't want to use the humans to begin with why does Cain think he is going to now?"

  "Because Abel is a backstabber and a liar." Matthew’s fists clench.

  "Did Cain tell you that?"

  "Yes, but it’s true, Katie. I can feel it."

  "Probably because you're laced with their blood."