His Soul To Keep (Dark Knights of Heaven Book 1)

by Knight, TW

  Cassidy covered her ears and hunkered behind the men.

  "What the fuck?" Boomer rushed into the room, drew his Glock, and emptied a clip into the Fallen Angel's head and torso. Bass followed suit.

  The creature laughed and shook the injuries off as if he’d been hit with feathers instead of bullets. Carelessly, he stepped down from his perch to land lightly in the space where Cassidy had been sitting. "Tsk, tsk. What bad boys you’ve been."

  "Who are you? What do you want?" Rail demanded with a menacing growl.

  "Who am I? Who am I? I’m insulted." His red eyes flared and he screeched like a thousand dying cats. "Don’t you remember one of your own brothers?"

  "Obviously, you’ve changed a lot," Boomer quipped as he reloaded.

  The Fallen Angel tightened his grip on his sword hilt. "You once called me Sayer, beloved brothers." He snarled the last two words.

  "Sayer died a long time ago, demon."

  "Ha! Wait a few years, and you’ll call me brother again."

  "What do you want?" Rail took a step back toward Cassidy.

  "Your heads on a pike, but I’ll take whatever you stole from these computers. It must be of great importance for you to risk your lovely pet." He pointed to Cassidy with his sword. "Time’s wasting. Two minutes and the human police will be here, and then we can play a new game."

  This was going to take perfect timing. Rail nudged Cassidy back another step. Felt her dig her fingers into his shirt. Even if all of them could grab hold of each other, they’d still have a few seconds before the portal opened and they could flash—a few seconds of complete vulnerability. "Give him the thumb drive."

  "No," Hacker snapped.

  "I said give him the thumb drive. Now." Rail sheathed his sword, hoping Hacker picked up on the ruse. “I don’t want to risk any more human lives, and you know what he’ll do to the cops if we’re still here. Now, give him the thumb drive."

  Hacker shifted, sheathed his sword, and motioned to the computer. "It’s still on the desk. Left it laying there when the bastard surprised us."

  Rail nodded.

  Everything went to hell in a second.

  Sayer turned to look at the desk, giving Rail the opening he’d been waiting for.

  Spinning, he closed his eyes, grabbed Boomer and Hacker—praying one of them had grabbed Bass. He didn’t have to check on Cassidy. She already had him in a death grip around the waist.

  The Fallen Angel’s frustrated scream sounded like a thousand banshees as Rail tore open the fabric of space and shoved the group through.

  Just as Hacker had said, quick and dirty. But it worked. The five of them tumbled into the villa's courtyard.

  * * *

  Shifting, Rail pushed himself to his knees so he wouldn’t crush Cassidy. With a grunt, he stood and held his hand out.

  Cassidy grasped hold, staring wide-eyed at his abdomen. "You’re bleeding."

  Looking down, Rail noticed the spreading blood stain. Pain suddenly registered, changing from a dull throb in his back to a burning through his core. Curious, he reached around under his jacket. His touch found more blood pouring from the wound. "Damn. Bastard got me from behind." His muscles spasmed, protesting each movement, but he pushed the pain aside, not wanting Cassidy to know how bad it was.

  “Rail…”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll be healed up in a few hours.” He pulled Cassidy to her feet only to have her fall limply into his arms. "Sweetheart?"

  She looked up at him with pale eyes full of confusion and pain. Lifting a hand to her chest, Cassidy gazed down at the bloodstain spreading across her own shirt.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  "You need to step back and let me look at her!" Tucker shouted when Rail refused to release Cassidy from his grip and place her on the gurney.

  The infirmary was a mad house.

  "No! She’ll start bleeding again." In the second it took him to realize the blade had passed through him and into Cassidy, Rail had ripped off his bloody shirt and pressed it against her wound. "My blood is helping close the wound."

  "Not enough!" Tucker scrambled to hook up an IV. "You should have flashed her to a hospital. I’m not trained for this."

  Zach stepped behind him and gently removed the IV needles from the young man’s trembling fingers. "I am, and it’s too late for this."

  "No!"

  "Aerieal, she has no pulse. She bled out before you even got her in here."

  "No." Rail used his teeth to tear open his wrist and pressed it to Cassidy’s lips. "Drink, baby. Drink!"

  "Rail, let her go."

  "No! No!" For the first time in millennia, tears burned his eyes. "No, I can’t lose her." He blinked in surprise as his vision blurred and the first few drops rolled down his cheeks. "No, no, no…" Racked with despair, he gathered Cassidy’s limp body against his chest.

  "I’m sorry." Tucker choked on the words. "There wasn’t anything I could do."

  Zach patted Tucker’s shoulder and guided the young man away, waving to the others to follow. "Let’s give him some time." To Rail, he added, "I’ll ask the women to come back in a while and help clean her up."

  Rail didn’t answer, didn’t even acknowledge the others had left. His world had ended.

  * * *

  "He won’t let go of her," Seraphina whispered, blowing her nose. Her eyes were red and puffy, as was her nose. "Kaz are you listening to me? You have to do something."

  "What?" he snapped. "What do you want me to do?"

  "Go talk to him. It’s been hours and he’s just…" She couldn’t finish. "Please, go talk to him. Ask him to let Gina and I clean Cassidy, put fresh sheets on the bed. Do something."

  "Why?"

  "Because he’s standing in her blood! Damn it, Kaz. You haven’t even gone down there to give your condolences. You can at least do that, you heartless bastard."

  Kaz laughed harshly. "Do you know how much death I’ve seen? How many deaths of my own soul-keepers I’ve felt?"

  "I don’t care. She was one of us, damn it. Rail is one of us. You’re his leader for God’s sake. I thought you were his friend," she added softly.

  "God," he spat the word. "If not for God, we wouldn’t be in this mess."

  At the end of her patience, Seraphina stormed out of Kaz’s office and grabbed Gina who had been waiting in the hall. The two of them would get through to Rail, even if they had to beat him senseless to do it.

  To their surprise, everyone except Kaz, waited outside the infirmary—including Margarite, tucked tightly against Tam. Seraphina hugged each in turn, thanking them for coming. Farther down the hall, Seraphina noticed one of the female Un-tar hovering around the corner. It was hard to read her expression, but it seemed as if the creature was in pain. Before Seraphina could say something to her, the little demon ran off.

  Apparently, the Un-tar had heard about Cassidy’s death.

  Seraphina gathered her friends into a united front of comfort and love and pushed the infirmary doors open, ready for a fight.

  Rail hadn’t moved. He still stood next to the bed, cradling Cassidy's bloody body in his arms.

  "Rail?" Margarite took a brave step forward and placed a hand on his arm. "I’m so sorry for your loss."

  Like a soulless doll, he turned and looked at her. Expressionless. No recognition in his eyes. Empty. Dead.

  "Please, Rail. Let us take care of her for you. You need to clean up and have a rest."

  "No," he croaked.

  "It’s okay, man." Boomer stepped forward. "You don’t have to leave; just give the girls some space. You can wash up right here in the sink while they wash Cassidy." Gently, the warrior loosened Rail's hold and guided Cassidy’s body to the bed. "Come on, bro. We’ll be right here."

  Boomer took his left side, Bass his right, and led him to the other side of the room.

  Seraphina mouthed, "Thank you," as they passed.

  The men kept a respectful distance, helping Rail wash and change clothes. He was little more than a manne
quin allowing them to move and direct him, but he never took his eyes off the bed where Cassidy lay.

  The disinfectant stung his eyes and nose, clawing its way into his brain. In the part of his mind that registered what was happening around him, Rail felt grateful. Grateful for his friends, his family, their support. Grateful someone had cleaned up the blood. He’d choked on the rose-laced coppery scent for hours. Every breath killed him. There had been nothing he could do about it. He couldn’t leave her. Not now, not ever.

  His bones had turned to ice. His skin no more than paper. He’d been hollowed out. Completely empty. Although he didn’t remember feeling the tremor of change, his soul must have moved on during his blank, mindless space of grieving. Somewhere in the world, a child would be born to be hunted. The thought made his stomach turn over. Bile burned the back of his throat.

  Rail looked down at his now clean hands. Hands which had struggled to stem the flow of blood from Cassidy’s body. Looking to the bed, he watched the women finish their ministrations. Margarite brushing Cassidy’s hair. Gina arranging the now clean sheets. Seraphina removing all the remaining evidence of the day.

  It was like scenes from some strange movie.

  The overhead bed light cast a glow around Cassidy, giving her still body the impression she was simply sleeping.

  Rail choked back a sob and pulled away from his brothers.

  "Rail." Hacker reached for him, but held back. "I’m…I'm so sorry."

  "Thank you." His voice felt like broken glass passing over his lips. "Thank you for taking care of her."

  "We’ll take care of the arrangements if you tell us—"

  A terrified scream shattered the strained silence. Cassidy’s body jack-knifed off the bed, knocking Gina and Margarite out of the way. Frozen in shock, all they could do was watch Cassidy gasp, struggling for breath. Just as quickly, she fell back against the mattress, bucking and thrashing.

  Rail pushed everyone aside to grab her arms. Even with him holding her, she continued to flail like a drowning victim.

  "That’s it, Cassie. Come back. I’m right here. Come back to me." He drew in a stuttering breath. "Come back to me, sweetheart."

  "What the fuck?" Tucker fell to his knees. "She was dead! Zach pronounced her. She was dead."

  "She came back like one of us." Boomer watched, awe struck.

  "But she’s human." Zach moved to the other side of the bed and began taking Cassidy’s vitals. "Heart rate is fast and thready, but getting stronger. Let’s get some oxygen on her." No one moved. "Tucker!"

  Wobbling, the young man jumped to his feet, pulling tubes and equipment from a cart.

  "Hook her up to the monitors," Zach directed. With unsteady hands, he removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "I want someone with her twenty-four seven."

  "No problem." Rail caressed her face. "I’m not leaving."

  "What side effects are we looking at?" Tam stood to the side, holding a shaken Margarite tightly. "She was dead for hours. This isn’t normal."

  "It’s a miracle," Seraphina whispered.

  "We won’t know if she suffered any damage until she fully wakes up." Zach replaced his glasses, finished setting up the monitors, and watched the flashing lights until he was satisfied everything was working properly. "If she fully wakes up," he said softer.

  Tam’s worried looked mirrored those around him. "Any idea how she came back?"

  "She’s Rail's Aktura-nom. His soul mate," Kaz answered from the door. "I don’t know how it’s possible but …" He rubbed his face. "I don’t know how, but it’s possible their soul connection brought her back the same way it brings us back."

  "Or she’s becoming one of us," Bass offered in hushed tones.

  "Huh?"

  "No drag, remember? When we flashed to her office, it was like she was one of us—part of us."

  "Wait, you knew and didn’t tell us?" Tam got up in Kaz’s face "When did this happen?"

  "Two days ago on the beach," Rail answered in a whisper.

  "That’s what we felt?" Boomer burst into hysterical laughter. "Holy shit." The big warrior sat down right where he was and Gina joined him.

  "What’s wrong? What are they talking about?" she asked, holding his arm tightly.

  "It’s just a legend." He continued laughing until tears streamed down his cheeks. "It’s a God-fucking legend."

  "Everyone out." Zach made a shooing motion. "We’ll discuss this later. Cassidy needs to rest."

  "Kaz," Rail called as the doors swung shut. A moment later, the Knight’s leader reappeared. "This is so much more than the legend of Anallis and Savor."

  "Yeah, so?"

  "Tell them about the prophecy."

  "I don’t think…"

  "Tell them," Rail snapped. "The legend is nothing like what’s happening here. We can’t compare the two. Cassidy didn’t stay dead. She didn’t ascend to Heaven. She’s still in here." Rail took her hand in his and held it against his chest. "The game has changed. We need to find a Seer. We need to know the whole prophecy. We need to know what kind of future we’re looking at."

  "There were only three true Seers. One is believed to have died during the first demon war, one ran away and has been in hiding for over five thousand years, and the other is in Hell with Lucifer."

  "Then you better figure out how to capture the she-devil because we’re going to need her."

  Kaz looked from his brother to Cassidy and back. "When did you become the leader of this little group?"

  "I’m not trying to take your place, Kaz. I’m trying to save us. All of us."

  Kaz let out a breath. "You think you’re going to be our savior?"

  Rail lifted his shoulders in an exhausted shrug. "We’ll never know what destiny holds for us until we have the entire prophecy. But honestly, at this moment, I say screw you and screw the world. I’m just trying to save the woman I love."

  The two men stood glaring at each other for several heartbeats.

  "What do you want me to do?" Kaz released a tired breath, but didn’t break eye contact.

  "For starters, let the others into the library. Zach and Tucker need to research those symbols on the skratars, and the others need to start researching the prophecy. Find the missing pieces. Fill in the blanks. Maybe even find a reason for what just happened." Rail gazed down at Cassidy, finally quiet in the bed. "But first, send the guys on patrol to burn off what they’re feeling right now."

  "And then?"

  "Then we start hunting for answers."

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  "So this legend," Hacker set up his laptop, "what’s that all about?"

  The others looked at him as though he’d grown a second head. "You never heard the legend of Anallis and Savor?" Tam took a seat across from him.

  "Not that I can remember."

  "This was before we were kicked out, long before. Like when angels first walked the Earth with the humans. Hell, it happened thousands years before Lucifer’s Fall."

  Hacker shrugged.

  "What, did you live under a rock?"

  Another shrug.

  "CliffsNotes version." Tam glared in disappointment. "Anallis was a high-level angel who fell in love with a human, and their love was so good and pure it’s said that their souls became one. When Savor died in battle protecting his people from an invading tribe, he and Anallis ascended to heaven together where he became the first human soul to be transformed into pure energy."

  "But this Savor didn’t come back to life here on Earth, did he? Not like Cassidy. Not like we do." Hacker peered over the monitor of his laptop.

  "No. They stayed in the Void and became the guardians of the human souls that began showing up there." Tam leaned forward and whispered, "They say that until Savor, Heaven was closed to human souls; they just became part of the universal energy. Eventually, so the legend says, Savor became an angel himself. Personally, I think it’s where the idea came from when religions started forming around angels and God. And you remember what Kaz said, i
f humans believe it long and hard enough, the One’s energy can form the idea into reality."

  "Peachy." Hacker blew his long bangs from his eyes.

  "They, who?" Bass dropped a stack of books on the table, making the stone ring—the sound echoed through the chamber. When he got a quizzical look in return, he qualified, "You said, 'they say,' blah, blah, blah. Who’s the they?"

  "You know? The They that everyone referrers to when they don’t know who started a story."

  "Oh, them," Bass replied sarcastically and pulled up the padded chair he’d brought down to the library. "What are we looking for again?"

  Everyone groaned. "Weren’t you paying attention when Kaz brought us down here and showed us that piece of skin?" Boomer grabbed one of the books.

  "Obviously not."

  "We’re trying to find information to fill in the blanks on that supposed prophecy," Tam answered. "We need to know if Kaz is right about Rail and Cassidy being Aktura-nom, Soul mates, and ending the world."

  "No fuckin’ way! I don’t believe it."

  "Which, that they’re Aktura-nom, or that they’ll end the world?" Hacker asked, peering over his laptop again, one eyebrow raised.

  "That they’ll end the world, asshole. Anyone can see they’re soul mates. Kind of disgusting, really. Ouch!" Bass jumped from his chair, rubbing his head. The echo of the slap hung in the air. "Damn, I wish you guys would stop doing that."

  "Stop making us want to." Boomer snickered.

  Smothering a laugh, Tam continued, "I took a look at the skin. There wasn’t much, only a few lines out of context. Many of the words are broken with holes. We could be reading it completely wrong. The key is correct translation and interpretation."

  Hacker snorted. "You worried about creating a self-fulfilling prophecy?"

  Tam sobered. "Maybe. But you can’t deny that the line about ‘two becoming one’ is dead on."

  "What do you think the rest of it means?" Bass settled into his chair, rubbing the back of his head.

  "I think it’s bigger than ending the world." Tam shifted a stack of scrolls closer.

  Bass snorted, as did Boomer. "What’s bigger than ending the world?"