Marked, Soul Guardians Book 1

by Kim Richardson

Kara and David walked along Avenue de la Motte-Picquet in their M suits. The wave of humanity around them was oblivious to the supernatural. They passed majestic brown stone buildings with small cafés and gift shop terraces that were packed with people sipping coffee and talking on their cell phones. Kara smiled. Compact cars raced along the street and disappeared into the traffic. Parisians cursed the young people on scooters who zipped along the cobblestone sidewalk, knocking down chairs and tables as they went. And Kara loved it. She had never been anywhere in Europe before. This was utterly fantastic. Even the stench of dog poop and last week’s garbage didn’t spoil her mood. They were right in the heart of the city. And Kara rejoiced at its splendor.

  She wished she had her M-5 series suit with her. They weren’t sure what to expect, and she might have need of its extra strength. It would have been impossible, she knew, to get an M-5. They were lucky to have escaped from Orientation at all.

  The dark jagged walls of Tartarus flashed momentarily in her mind. She shuddered. She never wanted to go back to the angel prison. A degenerate cell that sucked the happiness from you, which laughed and watched you wither away.

  How could the council have put her in such a place? Why didn’t Gabriel stand up for her? He must have believed her. Kara sighed. Peter had said that the High Council was very angry. She wondered if the Legion was looking for her. Probably, she concluded. She was a demon spawn. She was sure they would have spared a few guardians to search for her on Earth.

  The moon cast a soft light over the city. A smooth breeze prickled against her M suit’s skin, like a feather brushing against an arm. It relaxed her a little. The Bronze lamp posts had curved iron tops from which dangled oval glass spheres. They looked like crippled old men holding lanterns. The street was alive and packed with tourists and locals.

  They arrived at a clearing with parked cars. Even in the moonlight, Kara could make out the greenery and manicured bushes of a great garden beyond the parking. Paris reminded her of the aged buildings in Montreal’s old port. She missed her city.

  “What are you smiling about, hot inmate?” David laughed at his new nickname for Kara.

  Kara shoved him. “Stop calling me that. I’m smiling because we’re in Paris. I’ve always wanted to come here.” She gazed out over the city. “It’s incredible. There’s so much history.” A sudden wave of sadness washed over her. “My mother would love it here … how are we going to find the scout?”

  David scratched the back of his neck. “Beats me. Jenny said he would find us. Guess we just have to walk around until that happens.”

  Kara stared at the mortals wandering the streets. She searched their faces. “He could be anyone. There are so many people here, how the hell is he going to find us?”

  “I just did.”

  Kara jumped back in surprise. The voice came from below. She looked down. A short, thick, white and fawn colored dog with a huge square head and floppy ears looked up at her.

  “What? You’ve never seen a dog before?” said the dog in a sarcastic tone.

  Thick folds of skin furled about its brow. Its jowls hung low, with drool spilling out in droplets. Around its thick neck was a red and white polka dot collar. It had a short squished face with a black squished nose, and under bite jaw that revealed tiny pointy teeth. Kara noticed it had no tail.

  “I—I just wasn’t prepared to see one talk. I mean … the primates in Horizon talk, but I wasn’t expecting to see a dog speak here on Earth.”

  “Please try to keep your voice down—we don’t want the mortals to get suspicious, now do we? Talking dogs don’t exist.” The dog raised his left eyebrow.

  David kneeled down beside the dog. He grabbed his collar. “What’s up with the collar dog? Are you a girlie dog?” David looked under the canine’s belly.

  The dog sat. “I’m a male dog, thank you very much. An English bulldog to be precise.”

  Kara looked at David. “I thought scouts were angels—like us.”

  The dog let out a growl. “We are angels—just not in human form. We need to be able to blend in without attracting suspicion. My small physique and cuteness gets me into a lot of places unnoticed.”

  The dog scratched behind his ear with his back leg. He shook his head. Beads of drool splattered all over Kara’s pants.

  “Gross.” She shook her leg and dared not to touch it. She kicked David playfully when he laughed.

  The dog gazed around before speaking again. “And I believe it’s time we find a quiet place to continue this enlightening discussion. The mortals are starting to notice something’s not quite right with me.” He leaned his head towards a group of mortals gawking at them with scowls upon their faces.

  “Now—if you’ll follow me.” The bulldog lifted his head in the air and waddled away like a proud peacock.

  “It’s a doggy dog world.” David laughed and followed the dog.

  Kara jogged over next to David. The bulldog pranced between the two of them. He barely reached their knees.

  “So … what’s your name, scout?” asked Kara, her voice low. She had always wanted a dog. An English bulldog would never have been her first choice, but then again she had never realized how cute they were.

  “It’s Thor.”

  David let out a loud laugh. He slapped his thighs and broke out in hysterics.

  “Are you serious? Your name can’t be Thor! If you were a Great Dane or a Saint-Bernard, or even a big Doberman—that would work. But not this …”

  “This what?” Thor’s tone was dangerous. He growled “Don’t be fooled by my small size, David. Yes, I know who you are—and her, too. I’ve heard all about the two of you, and then some. Now—less talking and more walking. This way.”

  They followed Thor in silence but with grins on their faces.

  As they walked, Kara began to get nervous. She knew there were only two possible outcomes to their quest. It was either a trap, or her mother’s soul was really here. The latter was probably not an option—it could never be that simple, especially if it involved Asmodeus. But she wondered what would happen if she did get her hands on her mother’s soul. Would the Legion let her back in? No, she didn’t think so. She decided that after dealing with the business of her mother’s soul, she would still have to find proof of the Death Blade to clear her name. She did not want to go back to Tartarus.

  Thor led them north on Avenue Emile Deschanel Street, and finally to a large opening leading to a lush park. He sat behind a huge tree.

  “We should be okay here.” He began to dig a hole frantically, and once he thought it was deep enough, he settled in it, as if it were a dog bed.

  Kara sat with her legs crossed in front of her. “Jenny told us that you knew where my mother’s soul was? Is she somewhere close?”

  Thor let his tongue hang to one side of his jaw. “Yes.”

  Kara hunched forward. “What? Where? Tell me where she is!”

  “Take it easy, girl.” Thor glanced around. “They’ve got her soul in the Eiffel Tower. She’s up at the top, past the restaurants, in the restricted area. She’s guarded by three higher demons—and I smelled something else—something fouler and nastier than I’ve ever smelled before.”

  “We could pass as tourists and sneak up there,” said David as he kneeled down. “That shouldn’t be complicated. Do you know if the soul’s still alive?”

  Kara recoiled at David’s words. “How can you ask that!”

  “We need to know. This could be a trap.”

  “The soul’s alive,” said Thor, nodding his square head so that his ears flapped. “… and I’m sure it’s a trap. Nevertheless, it is your mortal mother’s soul and she is one of the chosen guardians. I don’t know what the whole fuss is with you and your powers. But I can’t agree with the Legion’s decision to leave your mother’s soul behind. We can’t let them take it. If it were my mother’s soul—I’d go get it.”

  Kara sat staring at the ground. She was sure it was a trap. With three higher demons and p
robably a new breed waiting, it had to be a trap. But she knew she had no choice. She wouldn’t let her mother die. Her throat began to tighten. It was up to her now. She pushed herself up and brushed the dirt off her pants.

  “All right then … let’s go.”

  “I love a woman who takes control. It’s very sexy.” David flashed his perfect teeth. Longing sparked in his eyes.

  For a moment, Kara was lost in his eyes. The world shut itself out around her, and she felt all alone with only David by her side. Her mortal suit prickled and she felt warmth spreading inside her. He was so close. She knew if she just reached out she could touch him. She remembered the touch of his soft lips on hers. She closed her eyes and forced the emotions out of her head. This couldn’t happen right now, she realized. She clenched her fists and turned away from him, but not before she saw a look of hurt flash across his face.

  Thor looked disgusted and licked his nose.

  They walked through the Parc du Champs de Mars, north along Avenue Anatole France. They wandered past vast green lawns manicured to perfection. Even at night, Kara could tell it was well maintained. The leaves of the tall lush trees fluttered with whispers like notes from a melody of music.

  Thor’s tiny legs worked fast, keeping him at the head of the group. He reminded Kara of a lieutenant leading his soldiers to battle. She smiled. She didn’t know why he was helping her, but she was glad he was.

  Then the Eiffel Tower radiated before them in all its glory. Illuminated by thousands of lights, it shone against the black Paris skyline like a jeweled pyramid of silver and gold. It was magnificent and gigantic. Her pace quickened.

  When they reached the bottom of the tower, Kara threw back her head and looked up. It was beautiful.

  Then Kara grew restless—her mother’s soul was in there somewhere.

  Vendors shoved t-shirts, postcards and miniature replicas of the Eiffel Tower in their faces. David shooed them away.

  “There are three platforms on the Eiffel Tower—” whispered Thor. White foam formed at the corners of his mouth. Kara had to lean forward to hear him clearly. “—you want the top one. We take the stairs to the first lift. We need to switch lifts at the second level to get to the third. And from there we take the stairs to get to the top. Visiting hours are almost over, let’s hurry.”

  Kara looked over to the crowds of eager tourists waiting at the foot of the stairs.

  “Come on,” urged Kara.

  After a few minutes of waiting, Kara finally took her first steps up the tower. She pressed her hands against a cold metal railing and pulled herself up. Kara gazed at the pyramid of iron ladders. All around, she was surrounded by giant iron beams, graceful latticework that joined the four pillars like an iron spider web.

  She heard a scratching noise behind her, then a plop. She turned. Thor lay spread-eagled on the metal step. She could see his short legs couldn’t reach. She bent down and grabbed the dog. He was surprisingly heavy, and she held him comfortably against her chest like a large bag of potatoes. He smiled beneath the folds of his nose.

  “He could lose some weight,” laughed David. He eyed the pretty brunette who brushed past him, and Kara narrowed her eyes.

  “Why are you standing there? Let’s go.” She tried to keep her voice even. She didn’t want David to see how his wandering eye affected her. But she caught him grinning at her before she turned her head.

  Once they had finished climbing the three hundred steps—Kara had counted them—they finally arrived at the first lift. They all squeezed in with some mortal tourists. The mortals didn’t seem to be bothered that their four legged friend was drooling all over Kara’s shirt.

  Kara and David jumped off the first lift and headed towards the second. They avoided speaking to each other. The lift jerked, and then stopped. David let the mortals get off first, then he and Kara jumped off. She heard David throw a few curses around, and when she gazed at the view, she understood why.

  A sea of lights glittered below and all around as far as Kara could see. Lights flickered and danced on the Seine, like watery fireworks of red, gold, and silver. A warm breeze swept Kara’s bangs from her face. She looked around. Romance filled the air as couples kissed and took pictures.

  Thor glared at her and growled. He cocked his head. Kara followed his gaze to a door at the end of the platform. She glanced at David who nodded that he understood.

  They stood around the door for a moment, and waited for the last tourists to leave. Finally, only they were left. They started to climb the circular stairway that led to the last platform. It was much darker. Only a few of the tower’s lights were mounted on the iron ladders. Soft light spilled from the moon, and Kara was grateful it gave them enough to see where they were headed.

  She ran up the iron staircase two steps at a time. Thor bounced in her arms. At the top, a door stood slightly ajar. She could hear voices. A woman’s voice. She took a step—

  “Wait,” said David as he held her arm. “We need a plan. We can’t just barge in,” he whispered.

  “He’s quite right.” Thor stretched out his neck and sniffed the platform above him. “It is a trap after all. You need to think of something clever.”

  He sniffed the air again.

  “There are three higher demons … and I get a whiff of something else … something more rotten.” He squished his nose and looked up at Kara.

  Kara put Thor down on the small metal landing, thankful to have her arms back. “What weapons do we have?” she asked in a low voice.

  David slipped off his backpack and rummaged through it. “Two Soul Blades. A Moonstone, and three Firestones.”

  “It won’t be enough.” Thor shook his head.

  “It’ll have to do. We don’t have a choice.”

  “What about you, dog? Are you coming with us?” David looked at Thor as he handed Kara a blade and a Firestone. “What can you do? Bark your way up there?”

  “I’m afraid I cannot assist you in combat. I’m a scout—not a guardian. I will wait here for the outcome. I hope you win.” Thor sat back on his hind legs, his tongue hung down from the side of his jaw.

  “Geez, thanks.” Kara clenched her fists. Maybe she should have left the dog at the bottom of the tower. She felt the handle of the cool blade press into her palm. She gripped it tight. Whether it was a trap or not, she knew she didn’t have a choice. Whatever was out there, she would fight it. Till death if she had to.

  “Let’s do this,” said Kara.

  “Right behind you, babe.”

  Kara pushed open the door and stepped onto a round metal platform. Paris was illuminated all around them, like a field of brilliant gems. A gust of wind pushed Kara to the side, and she steadied herself. The platform was small, with an office in the middle. The lights in the office were off, but Kara could see a shadow inside.

  She turned to David, “The guy at the desk, who’s sitting still, is wax—it’s Gustave Eiffel—this is a replica of his office.”

  “That’s pretty disturbing.” David peered through the office.

  She looked carefully behind the office, her dagger at the ready. The long shadows of the metal beams of the tower created black webs along the floor. Kara couldn’t see past the office. Thor had smelled demons, but she couldn’t see them.

  Moaning—Kara scrunched her face and followed the sound.

  She made her way around to the other side of the office cautiously. A bundle lay on the ground. At first, Kara thought a tourist had forgotten their coat. But then it moved.

  Kara saw a face—a young woman, with a gash on her forehead, and blood trickling down her cheek. Her eyes were swollen and bruised. Someone had given her a serious beating. What was she doing here?

  Something shone in the corner of her eye, and Kara turned around. A white sphere hovered in a glass jar on the platform a few feet away.

  “MOM!” screamed Kara. She ran forward.

  “Kara—No!” David reached to grab her.

  A shimmer
of black smoke appeared before Kara, like a wall of rippling black water.

  She jumped to the side, brandishing her blade.

  The wall glistened and cracked, erupting in swirls of black mist, like a maelstrom of shadows. A man stepped out of the moving wall. Kara had seen his white platinum hair and grey suit before.

  Chapter 13

  Making a Deal