Marked, Soul Guardians Book 1

by Kim Richardson

  Kara walked over to the gate. Shadows moved beyond them. She knew this was a trap. Once they passed through something horrible was sure to await them. She wrapped her fingers around the cool metal poles and pulled. The doors rattled but didn’t open. “Well, at least I gave it a try. Do you think you guys have enough strength to climb up the gate?”

  Peter glanced up and shrugged. “I don’t think I can. I’m having a hard time walking as it is.”

  “There’s got to be another way in.” Kara let go of the gate and walked over to the side. Thick iron poles reached up into the darkened sky. She leaned over. “Maybe we should go around and look for another way in. There’s got to be an opening somewhere.”

  “I don’t think we’ll have enough time.” Peter leaned against the gate for support. His pallid face stood out against the black of the iron poles. It pained Kara to see him so weak. It would be her fault if she lost Peter and David to the netherworld.

  “Does anybody know how to pick a lock?” asked David. He wiggled his index finger into the keyhole. “Ah!” David jumped back in alarm. He cradled his finger.

  Kara ran to him, her soul blade ready. “What is it? What happened?”

  David lifted his index finger. Light shone though where his nail and the top part of his finger used to be. “That stupid lock bit me. It bit me! It took a chunk of my finger. Look—”

  “It bit you?” Kara inspected the lock. She couldn’t see any teeth or anything that could have taken off a piece of David’s finger, just a regular metal keyhole.

  “I’m telling you, that thing bit me!” David kicked the gate angrily.

  Once David had finished his tantrum, Kara slipped her blade into the keyhole slowly. She heard a soft click, and the keyhole slammed shut suddenly. “What the—?”

  She tugged at her blade. It was jammed. She lifted her leg and pressed it on the gate. She gave a sharp pull with two hands. Nothing. She put her back into it, gave a final tug, and the blade slipped out. Kara stumbled back and nearly fell. When she had steadied herself, she leaned forward and peered through the key hole—

  “Payment, please,” said a voice.

  Kara jumped back in surprise. She pointed her blade towards the doors. Where had the voice come from?

  “Yeah, you need to pay up,” agreed another voice.

  Kara waved her blade around menacingly. “Who said that? Where are you? Show yourself!” she looked through the iron bars but saw no one. She glanced back at David and Peter who both gave her a shrug.

  “I did,” said the same voice.

  “So did I,” expressed the other voice.

  Kara followed the source of the voices. She was positive it came from the gates. She inspected the front doors. Two iron gargoyles faced her in the middle of each door. The metal seemed to crease suddenly. She examined the faces more closely. They blinked and then grinned.

  Kara staggered back. It was impossible.

  “I think the girl thinks you’re handsome, Right,” said one of the faces. Its enormous bulging eyes rolled and observed Kara.

  The other iron face wrinkled in a grin. Its small beady eyes blinked earnestly. “I do believe you speak the truth, Left. I am more handsome than you. I’ve always known it.” Its large nose bobbed and it smiled.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me?” laughed David. “Frigging talking doors!”

  The face on the left wrinkled its long hawk nose. “We are not doors—we’re guardsmen. And what are three angels doing here? By the looks of you, I doubt whether you’ll be angels for very long. You look awful.” It smiled wickedly and revealed sharp black teeth.

  Kara scowled and stepped forward. The eyes from the faces watched her every move. Their sculpted faces gleamed under the green neon light. They seemed harmless enough, but Kara couldn’t take a chance. She pointed her blade at their faces. “My friends and I really need to get to the other side. Someone is waiting for us there. May we pass? Please?”

  “In order to pass, you need to make payment. No payment, no pass,” said the face on her right. Its large pointy ears twitched nervously from the side of its head.

  “Yeah, no payment, no pass,” voiced the face on her left.

  The faces gave Kara the creeps, but she had no other alternative then to try and negotiate with them in order to get through. There was no way Peter could climb over the gate, and David was getting weaker by the minute.

  “So what kind of payment are we talking about? I don’t have any money.” It was the first thing that popped into her head. Maybe they would take buttons as payment, like the drivers from the sky-cars.

  The face on her right compressed into a frown. “Money? What’s that? No, you need to provide us with a mortal soul. Without a proper soul for payment—you cannot pass.”

  Kara’s mouth dropped horrified. She composed herself after a moment. “I don’t have a mortal soul. Even if I did, I would never give it to you.”

  “Hmmm. Well, that does pose a problem for you, doesn’t it? How do you propose to pass then? By the looks of you, I thought you’d be smarter than that.” The face turned to its right. “Left, it appears we have a simpleton in our midst.”

  “Indeed. I think I might break into a song,” said Left, and he puckered his lips in an ugly ‘o’ shape.

  Kara heard a plop and turned to see David sprawled on the ground. She ran to him as he tried to get up.

  “I’m all right,” David tried to yank his arm free from Kara’s grip. His hair was nearly completely white. He shivered. Pain stabbed in Kara’s chest. This was so wrong. She should never have agreed to take them.

  “You’re obviously not all right. This is all my fault. I’m so sorry. I’m taking you back—”

  “No!” David grabbed a metal post and pulled himself back on his feet. “I’m coming. It’s too late to go back anyway. We have to go on. We have no other choice.”

  Kara glanced over her shoulder to Peter. He sat on the ground, his head against his chest. It had only been a few minutes since they had arrived at the gate, and Peter and David were deteriorating rapidly. How long did they have until their transformation into higher demons was complete? Could she still bring them back with her? Would they even be the same people once transformed?

  Kara’s temper flared. She stormed to the doors. She wanted to pluck out the gargoyle’s eyeballs with her blade. “Look. I don’t have time to stand here and argue with you. I don’t have a mortal soul. We need to get through—now! I know Lilith is expecting us. You should really let us in. You don’t want her to get angry, do you?”

  “Mistress Lilith? Hmmm. That does pose a bigger problem,” said Right, and he lowered his thick brows. “The one with the temper does have a point. We don’t want the mistress to be upset with us. What should we do, Left? Should we let them in?”

  Left’s ears shot up straight. His black beady eyes analyzed Kara for a moment. “I don’t know. Should we? You remember what happened the last time she got angry with us—the boiling magma river ring any bells?”

  Right wrinkled his black face. “Well, the mistress did say she was expecting a girl…but not a girl and two boys.”

  “Yeah, just a girl.”

  “The boys are in an awful mess,” scrutinized Right. “I doubt they’ll pose a threat to our mistress in their present state.”

  “I agree,” said Left. “An awful mess, indeed. The one with the glasses can’t even stand up. He’ll get eaten alive.”

  “Yes, eaten alive.”

  Kara lifted her head. “Listen—Left, Right. I am the girl. You have to let me and my friends pass immediately...before your mistress finds out you’re not letting us through. I’m sure you don’t want to visit the hot boiling magma again. She won’t be happy to know you’re not letting her guests through.”

  Left pondered for a moment. He pursed his iron lips together. “Okay, you may pass.”

  “You may pass!” echoed Right.

  With a deafening creak the doors swung open. Kara helped Pete
r to his feet and wobbled through the front entrance. David limped closely behind. Kara heard the doors lock behind them, and the horrid voices of the guardsmen rising in song. A gothic symphony rose around them, as though in welcome. They passed a carousel gleaming in jewels and light. Black steeds with yellow sharp teeth rose and fell slowly on golden poles. Instead of hooves, their claws scrapped the metal platform. Their heads turned. With glowing red eyes, they watched Kara and the others pass. Kara suppressed a shiver as they made their way past the sinister black horses. She had a feeling they weren’t really attached to anything.

  With the giant Ferris wheel still in Kara’s view, they carefully made their way through a maze of eerie rides and kiosks made of human bones. A horde of female demons with yellow and blue skin stepped out of a tent. They belly danced their way around the group, flaunting silk scarves at Peter and David who did their best to ignore them. The demons wailed in laughter, their forked tongues licking their lips as they skipped around.

  A great tent came into view. Long red and yellow stripes of thick cloth spilled to the floor. The door to the tent flapped open. The female demons squealed and ran away. Kara took a step back involuntarily.

  Demons crawled out of the tent. Their emaciated white faces leered at them. Their unnaturally large gaping maws revealed rows of rotten teeth. Their yellow bulging eyes were rimmed thickly in lines of black, and their bulbous red noses drooped above messy red colored lips. Their jutting limbs twitched grotesquely as the demon horde formed a circle around the group. Some wore black top hats; others were bald. A strange guttural language danced on their blackened tongues. Kara fought the urge to run and remained where she stood.

  A demon in a decaying red and black jester outfit with fat black boots broke from the group and approached them. A mess of red paint covered his sunken cheeks and thin stretched mouth. A large machete hung at his side.

  “This is my lucky day.” David limped forward to meet the demon. “I’ve always hated clowns. And now it’s payback time for all those stupid birthday parties.”

  The demon lunged.

  David threw his blade. It perforated the demon’s forehead with a wet sound. The creature swayed on the spot and then went down. “They just never knew when to shut up. I hate all that singing and creepy laughing.” David reached down and pulled his blade from the clown’s forehead. He wiped it clean on his jeans.

  Kara pushed Peter behind her. “Stay back and down. Don’t try anything heroic. Do you have a weapon with you?”

  Peter sat to the ground and rummaged through his backpack. He drew a moonstone and held it with both hands. “This should do the trick—I hope.”

  “Good. Stay put.” Kara stood protectively before Peter. A surge of fury washed through her. It tingled in her fingertips, and she squeezed her blade against her palm. Peter was in no shape to put up a fight. He shouldn’t even be here. Kara directed her anger towards the ugly horde of clowns.

  With a roar, all the demon clowns launched their attack. The demon with a black top hat and long red coat ran towards her. Two black blades waited in his skeleton hands. Black vapors coiled around his hand and up his arms like fur. He swung the blades over his head skillfully. With an angry roar, he leaped into the air, and aimed his blades to Kara’s throat.

  She ducked and kicked the clown on his side. The demon faltered for a moment. He snickered, and black liquid sprayed out of his rotten mouth. He drew his blades over his head and launched another attack. Kara raised her arm and blocked his onslaught. Her knees buckled under his weight. As she fought the demon, she could hear David grunting and the loud clang of metal clashing against metal. Despite his illness, he was still hanging on.

  Through the space under the creature’s arm she saw another pair of dirty boots, and another leering demon raced towards her. With a renewed sense of power, she pushed the first creature away and sliced his throat. Its death howl shook the air, and just as its body slumped to the ground, the other demon swung a giant axe into Kara. She went sprawling to the ground; the axe had slashed her abdomen. Kara cried out, and the poisoned metal seeped into her body.

  She wrapped her hands around the metal handle and pulled it out.

  Something pulled her hair. With the axe still in her hand, she lifted it above her head and slammed it down behind her. She heard a thump and turned to see the demon crumble to the ground.

  A blast exploded around them. A giant cloud of white mist hovered for a moment and then dispersed. Shattered clown limbs and body parts lay scattered around them. Peter sat with black liquid smeared on his face. He looked up at Kara with a determined expression and smiled.

  A wail shook her. David lay on the ground across from them. Three clown demons stabbed him repeatedly with their blades. Kara rushed over. She sliced the first demon easily. The other came at her savagely, and she kicked him hard in the knee and then punched his laughing face. She blocked the third demon’s attack with her blade. The creature laughed. It only angered Kara more. With her blade raised before her, she struck him in the eye. She pulled out her blade as the demon fell.

  She knelt beside David and brushed his white hair from his face. His eyes were closed. He lay in a crumpled mess of broken limbs and shredded clothes. Black liquid soiled the ground where he lay. Light shone from many wounds. Kara tensed. He was in a bad shape.

  “I look terrible, don’t I?” croaked David as he opened his eyes. “I can tell by the look on your face.”

  “Shhh. Don’t talk. Keep your strength.” Kara whirled around.

  The last of the clown demons scattered. Kara watched them limp away towards the back of the tent and disappear behind a large ride with dilapidated seats.

  Without another word to David, she grabbed him under the shoulders and dragged him towards Peter.

  “I love a strong woman,” said David romantically.

  Kara ignored him. “Peter, can you walk?”

  With great effort Peter managed to stand. “I—I think so. Whatever this disease is, the less strain I put on myself the slower it seems to work.” He hauled his backpack up on his shoulder.

  “If that’s the case, then I’m a goner.” David’s head bobbed to the side. “I can hardly feel my legs.”

  “Don’t say that. You’re going to be fine.” Kara scanned the area. She pointed to an empty ticket booth with a large portrait of a smiling Lilith painted on the front. “Over there—you’ll be safe there until I get back.”

  David coughed up a laugh. “Seriously? With the misses smiling at us like that?”

  “Yes—seriously. They won’t look for you there.” Kara hauled David and dragged him across to the booth. She laid him gently on the ground in a seated position. He turned his head and blew a kiss to the image of Lilith. Peter laughed and slid down beside him.

  David’s smile evaporated. “Kara, I’m sorry,” began David. “I’ve let you down.”

  Kara shook her head to herself. “There’s nothing to be sorry for, David. I should be apologizing to you both. I should have never let you come. This was a huge mistake.”

  “It wasn’t your decision,” said David. “Peter and I wanted to come. There’s nothing you could have done to stop us from coming with you. And I’m glad we did.”

  Kara sighed. She looked at Peter’s backpack. “Got anymore moonstones in there?”

  Peter nodded. “Yup.” He pulled out another moonstone. “I’ve got another five.” David whistled and patted Peter on the back, impressed at his stock.

  “Good. If more demons show up, do exactly like before. Blast them. I’ll be back in no time at all. Don’t let them see you. Just try not to make any noise. ”

  She looked over at David’s shrunken face. His skin was chalky white. He wasn’t going to last very long. The demons had nearly killed him. She hoped Peter would be brave enough to keep them alive long enough for her to return to get them. She prayed silently that he would.

  Kara stood up and checked herself. “Okay. I’m off—”

 
; “Wait! I need my good luck kiss.” David puckered up his lips. “If I’m to die a nasty demon, at least let me die a happy one.”

  Rolling her eyes, Kara kneeled down beside him. She cradled his face gently in her hands. “You’re not going to die. Don’t be stupid. I won’t let you. I promise. I’m coming back for you guys…and we’re going home. Promise.” Kara leaned forward and pressed her lips against David’s. She shuddered at the coolness of his skin but was glad at his soft touch nevertheless.

  “I can’t believe you’re kissing at a time like this,” laughed Peter, his voice almost a squeal. “Just hurry up and get back in one piece. This place is creeping me out. I know I’m going to have nightmares about clowns for the rest of my days.”

  “I will. Promise.” Kara felt as if the whole weight of the netherworld had fallen on her. She hated leaving them like this, but she had no other choice.

  “Be careful,” said David.

  With one last look at David and Peter, Kara jumped to her feet and bolted in the other direction. She passed the yellow and red striped tent cautiously and gripped her blade firmly in her hand. She listened for the sounds of heavy boots. Nothing. No more demons emerged from the tent. Relieved, she wiggled her way through disintegrating rides where skinless imps fought over their seating arrangements. Their red glowing eyes turned as she passed, and then they continued to fight. Their feral grunts were drowned by the blaring symphony.

  Kara could see Jenny’s limp body sway with the momentum of the giant wheel up ahead. She was nearly there. She followed the music. It was leading her closer to the Ferris wheel.

  A sudden whisper came from behind her. Kara turned to see a wall of rotten clowns wobbling behind her. She quickened her pace. She heard the tread of their heavy boots picking up speed. If they were all behind her, that meant David and Peter were safe for now, unless another foe awaited them in the shadows. She pushed the thought out of her mind.

  The glowing Ferris wheel peeked over a rotten white tent. Kara could see Jenny’s face clearly now. Her eyes were closed. Her skin was the same chalky white as David and Peter’s, but Kara couldn’t see any real wounds on her friend.

  She raced around the tent and came out into a clearing. A large raised platform stood at the foot of the giant wheel. Lights hung from wires that crisscrossed above the platform. And at the opposite end a group of fat scabrous demons howled and played shiny black instruments with sinuous arms and legs. Their alien voices echoed their haunting performance.

  A beautiful young woman in a white pantsuit with a tall white hat pranced around on the stage. Her long white hair rippled behind her unnaturally, like a cape made of mist. Her delicate features creased and broke into a sinister smile when she spotted Kara. Her large black eyes shone with excitement. She skipped and twirled dramatically around the stage.

  “Well, well, well. My little sister, Kara, has finally decided to come and play with us,” Lilith laughed softly to the four higher demons standing behind her. Their identical white faces sneered at Kara.

  A giant man sat in a wooden red chair next to Lilith. The chair was carved with snakes on the armrest and horned beasts for legs. The backrest was carved in the shape of an eye that seemed to watch Kara. A long silky grey robe draped over the man’s strong shoulders. His handsome face was wrinkled in a deep frown. Light reflected off his bald head. He watched Kara with dark eyes.

  “Zadkiel,” hissed Kara.

  Chapter 17

  Jack-in-the-box