Marked, Soul Guardians Book 1

by Kim Richardson

  Kara knew she was dying.

  She closed her eyes and let it come. It was only a matter of time now before her heart stopped pumping oxygen to her brain. She had no idea one person could lose so much blood. She sat in a pool of her own blood, and she could smell it. The demon had killed her.

  She was numb. She could feel herself drifting towards sleep. It was too late to get to a hospital. She would never have the chance to tell David how she truly felt. She would die cold and wet in a dark alley with a stranger who held her hand and knew her name...

  But death wouldn’t come.

  Then a gush of warmth spread through her as though she had been submerged in a hot bath. The veil of weakness lifted and was replaced by a surge of strength. She trembled as blood gushed to her limbs. She sucked cool air into her lungs and felt warm again. Her heart pounded strongly in her chest. She opened her eyes.

  It was dark, and snowflakes gleamed under the streetlight that flickered and buzzed. She blinked her snow—crusted eyelashes. A full moon peeked through thick navy—blue clouds.

  A young man peered down at her.

  Kara sat upright.

  The stranger smiled warmly. Snow fell from his tousled blond head. His clothes were covered in snow. As he searched her face, Kara looked away, abashed. There was something about his piercing blue eyes that unsettled her. It was as if they could see her deepest thoughts and secrets.

  She strained to see into the darkness, suddenly anxious. Where was the creature that had attacked her? She remembered a flash of red light. The creature had attacked her. She remembered the piercing pain. She was bleeding. Instinctively her hand went to her leg. She wriggled her fingers through the rip in her jeans and pressed her hand on her skin. There was no gaping wound. She searched the ground around her. Not a drop of blood anywhere. What was going on? Had she imagined the whole thing? Impossible...

  “Kara, how are you feeling?” said the stranger in a voice that made Kara’s skin ripple with goose bumps. Where had she heard that voice before?

  She stared at the stranger, frowning. “How do you know my name?”

  There was something very familiar with this guy, but she couldn’t figure it out. Who was he?

  The stranger leaned forward with an anxious look on his face. For a moment he just stood there, rocking back and forth on his heels, staring at her uncertainly. “It’s me...David...don’t you recognize me?”

  “Nope. I only know one David, and you’re not him.”

  Kara pushed herself back onto her feet, surprised at her own strength. She felt better with her feet on the ground. Apart from the rip in her jeans, there was no sign that anything had attacked her. She couldn’t help but wonder if she had imagined the whole thing and that she was going mad.

  The stranger’s face fell, and Kara felt a sting in her chest. He backed away slowly, his eyes never leaving hers. He raked his fingers through his hair. “Maybe it needs time to work.”

  Kara brushed her hands on her jeans. “What does? And how do you know me again? Do we share a class together or something—you kinda look familiar to me.”

  Her fingers were stiff and cold. “Do you see any mitts on the ground?”

  “What’s the last thing you remember?” said the stranger as he studied her face.

  “Why? What’s it to you?” Kara kicked the snow with her boots looking for her mitts.

  “It’s important.”

  Giving up on her mitts, Kara jammed her hands in her coat pockets and searched the street. “Well, I was on my way to the drugstore when something attacked me. It’s a bit blurry. I think I hit my head and passed out.”

  She wasn’t about to tell a complete stranger that a demon had tried to kill her and by some miracle she had survived. He would definitely think she was as mad as a hatter.

  The stranger watched her closely. “You don’t remember anything else...anything at all?”

  “Like I told you, no.”

  He pointed at her left arm. “So—who gave you that bracelet then?”

  “I’m not wearing a brace—” the rest of the word died in her throat. A leather bracelet was wrapped around her left wrist. Kara narrowed her eyes. How did that get there? She didn’t remember putting it on. But one thing was for certain—it wasn’t hers. So, who’s was it?

  The stranger eyed her worriedly. “I gave you that bracelet. Don’t you remember?”

  Kara didn’t like the intense way the stranger was looking at her. He looked a little crazy, and she didn’t have time to fight off crazies right now.

  “Look, David, if that’s your real name, I don’t know you, sorry. Listen, thanks for watching out for me...but I need to get going. My mother needs me.”

  The stranger stepped up to Kara. “What do you see when you look at me?”

  Kara raised her brows and tried hard not to laugh. “I see a guy in a flimsy leather jacket who’s probably freezing. It’s December you know, winter—you probably need to put on a warmer jacket.”

  His jaw clenched, and he started to pace around nervously. Where had she seen him before? He was acting a lot like someone she knew...but who? She just couldn’t figure it out.

  “You don’t see anything different about me...about my skin?” His voice rose slightly in alarm.

  Kara shook her head and wiped the snow from her eyes. “Nope, sorry. Should I? It looks pretty normal beige to me. I don’t see what you mean by different.”

  She was beginning to think this guy was a little off. She should be wary of strangers, but somehow she felt comfortable around him. It was like being around an old friend, even though he wasn’t. She pulled her hood over her head and shifted her weight uncomfortably. Something was off about him all right...but what?

  Kara exhaled, her breath coiled around her in a white mist. But the stranger’s mouth was mist—less. He didn’t appear to be breathing at all. Kara waited and watched for vapors to come out of his nose. Nothing. A tinge of fear rippled inside her. If he wasn’t breathing, that meant he wasn’t human. If he wasn’t human...then what was he?

  The guy pulled up his sleeve and waved his bare arm in front of Kara. “You don’t see it glowing? You don’t see through the veil?”

  “Glowing? Veil?” Kara laughed nervously and stepped back. She didn’t want to offend him, but he was acting a little schizo, and he still wasn’t breathing. “Are you feeling all right?” she said, “Are you sure you didn’t bump your head—”

  The rest of Kara’s words caught in her throat. Suddenly, the stranger’s forearm started to glow faintly as though liquid light flowed through his veins. She looked up. Where his skin had been a normal beige color moments before, it now radiated a soft yellow light. She could see two stars etched across his forehead, as though he had been branded.

  “What are you? You’re not human!” Kara backed away from him again, frightened. What if he was a demon disguised as a hot guy, just to trick her? The stranger had appeared at the exact moment that the creature that had attacked her had disappeared. What if they were working together?

  The stranger lifted his hands up. “Kara, don’t be afraid, I won’t hurt you. It’s me, David. Don’t you recognize me? You know me, remember? We’ve fought in the legion together. We’ve combated demons, saved mortal souls, we’re friends—well, maybe more than friends.”

  “I don’t know you,” said Kara. But somehow it felt like a lie. She let out a sigh of frustration. “What is going on? Why do I feel like I know you and then don’t? And please tell me why you’re glowing?”

  “Because I’m in my M—suit—my mortal suit. I’m an angel, Kara,” said the stranger in a soothing voice. He drew closer and reached out to grab her hand.

  ZAP!

  Kara jumped back. An electric shock surged through her from his touch. It was like touching an electrical outlet with her fingers.

  “What was that?”

  The stranger shook his head bewildered. He stared at his hands. “I don’t know. It’s never happened b
efore. Maybe because you’re mortal, and I’m in my M—suit.”

  Kara took another step back. She couldn’t find her voice. She breathed heavily and stared at the stranger through her icicle—clustered eyelashes that kept sticking together every time she blinked. In a weird way, she believed him. But how could she? She was definitely losing her mind. Angels? Could he really be an angel? He was freaking glowing!

  “You can see through the veil now, the cloak that hides us from regular mortal eyes,” said the stranger, as relief spread quickly to his face. “That’s how you can see my skin glowing a little; it’s my angel essence beneath this mortal suit. It’s how you were able to see the demon that attacked you. You can see angels and demons, Kara.”

  That part she knew was true. Lately she had been seeing more and more ghastly creatures in the night. She always felt them near her, their evil sneaking up on her. But angels?

  Kara watched the snow nestle gently on his head. “So, how come I can see these demons, like you say?” She thought about telling him that her mom could see them, too, but decided against it. He was a stranger after all. She didn’t want to tell him her whole life’s story.

  “Because you’re part elemental.”

  “I’m what?” Kara nearly choked. Wild—eyed, she stared at him. Elemental, she repeated. Somehow that word did sound familiar.

  The stranger David kicked the ground in frustration. Puffs of snow flew in the air. “I knew it wouldn’t work!” he yelled. “I knew it! I told them, but nooooo, they didn’t believe me. Idiots!”

  Kara pressed her hands on her head. “What didn’t work? You’re not making any sense. What’s an elemental? If you know so much, then how come I can see these demons? And why are they attacking me? Tell me—”

  “Soon.” He grabbed her sleeve, careful not to touch her skin and steered her towards him.

  “I need to get you to the safe house. Come on. Let’s get you out of the cold.” He pulled her into a jog, but Kara wrestled out of his grip.

  “Let go of me! You know something about me, don’t you? Why can I see these things and you...I’ve seen you before, haven’t I? I can see it in your face. You’re hiding something. I’m not going anywhere with you unless you tell me what’s going on.”

  Kara crossed her arms over her chest and stood her ground.

  “It’s complicated,” said the stranger a little annoyed. “Very complicated...”

  “I like complicated.” Kara raised her brows. “Go ahead. I’m waiting.”

  He let out an exasperated sigh. “You won’t even believe me if I tell you. It’s pointless, and we’re wasting time. We should go before it gets dangerous—”

  “Try me.”

  “Fine,” said the stranger. “You’re a guardian angel, just like me. You can see demons and angels, just like me. And right now you’re on a special assignment as a mortal. There—you happy now? Good, we have to go—”

  “This is crazy,” said Kara, even though she felt everything he said was true. “I’m not going anywhere with you. I don’t know you.”

  The stranger grabbed her by the shoulders and made her face him. “I’m David. It’s me. There is no other David. I know this isn’t making any sense right now, but believe me; I’m your guy. Trust me on this, Kara. I’m David!”

  Kara stared into the stranger’s blue eyes. They were a lot like David’s, which was weird. He had the same nose, same square jaw, same hair, same little scar on his chin, same little dimples when he smiled, he even smelled like David, but at the same time he appeared different. He wore the brown leather jacket, black T—shirt and faded jeans that looked a lot like David’s. In fact, they were identical in every way, down to the maroon stain on the jacket’s left shoulder.

  Her jaw fell open. “Where did you get these clothes?”

  He turned his head quickly, as though he heard something. Then he pulled a silver dagger from his jacket and stood protectively in front of Kara. Somehow, she wasn’t surprised to see the weapon in his hand. She looked over his shoulder and followed his gaze.

  A shadow clambered down the street towards them. It was huge, with glowing red eyes and gangly limbs. It moved like a wild animal, but somehow its movements were jagged and twisted. At first, Kara thought it was a regular dog, but it was too big to be a dog. It moved into the light. Instead of fur, tentacles covered its back like coiling snakes. It focused its glowing red on Kara. Black pus oozed from its body and dripped onto the snow like hot oil. A gust of cool wind brought with it the smell of rotten flesh. Its unnatural growl cut through the eerie silence. A chill rolled up her spine. Kara winced at the sound of its nails scraping the pavement, like knives down a blackboard. Her heart pounded in her ears. Then a second identical creature joined it, then another. As soon as she saw them, she knew they were evil.

  “Hound demons,” said the stranger through gritted teeth.

  Kara took a step back. “They don’t look very friendly—”

  He grabbed her hand, and Kara felt a jolt of electricity surge from his fingers.

  “They’re not. RUN!”

  Chapter 5

  Brain—zapping