“Branded as the biggest and baddest in the portal universes. No one has ever dared come this close, so stamp this landmark in your mind forever.”
“Have mercy, son!”
“Like you? You never showed mercy to Turian, to Loree, to Earth, or to Brian.” Sabree squeezed my arm. “Release him here.”
“No.” I said flatly. While holding onto Farian with one hand, I untangled the net from his head and let the electrical web float away. As expected, the net shot toward the dark horizon. “I will free Farian on my command, not yours—good riddance.” My fingers released their hold. The dark rift sucked him into its vast nothingness. Exiled, wingless, Farian’s cries echoed inside our combined minds until the spark of what made him a being was extinguished.
“Rest in pandemonium,” Sabree whispered almost too low for me to hear telepathically.
I gave him a moment to recoup before we left. The pull from the Dark One had no effect on me this time, so instead of using JLS to return home, I flew to the central portal realms where Loree usually hung out. Maybe our unexpected arrival would chase aThorsis back to the Lighted Realm, release Loree without harming her. Could we be so lucky?
As customary in the portal, someone had detected our entry and warned the Malakhim. Either that, or aThorsis had detected us first. It didn’t matter as we flew toward an army of winged soldiers. I slowed when Sabree tightened his grip on my arm.
“It’s her, isn’t it?”
“Loree and her army.”
She advanced on her own, leaving her soldiers behind. “Sacrilege! How dare you decide the fate of one of our own. My eternal mate!” Flames flickered in her eyes.
“aThorsis,” my mind thundered for all to hear. “Leave Loree, you focking coward.” I almost lost control, my ethereal body changing as if to challenge him to enter the realm to do battle this instant. When Sabree yelped inside my head, I quickly relaxed the transformation for his sake.
A putrid sound, aThorsis’s cackle rattled between my ears. “Too eager to destroy me, you almost abandoned your wingman.”
His words rang true enough. Recognition of the near disaster filled me with dread. Normally I traveled the portal alone. Panic, battle-readiness, something drove me near the edge. The last time I met aThorsis in Loree’s body, he almost torched my face by a mere touch. The agony experienced in my hand alone, imprinted my mind for years to come. All four wings fluttered erratically in response to my alarmed state.
“Are you all right?” I asked Sabree. His ethereal outline radiated more angelic than his presence on Earth. No doubt remained. The portal worlds were home to him. His eyes shone a golden champagne. The Malakhim shared distinct eye colors that matched the color of the Lighted One who summoned them. In Sabree’s case, the champagne hue might have come from his assigned Lighted One before he was exiled. If aThorsis, I doubted the fiend calmed anyone.
“Please save my mother,” he asked my mind only. “Whatever it takes.”
I turned back to Loree and cringed at how the aura around her brightened. Not good. “I’ll make sure that whatever I send them rocks their world. Hang on.”
By the way her body flitted back and forth erratically like a moth caught in a lamp, aThorsis was losing patience and meant to tear her to shreds. Her black eyes flamed red as she began to fall apart, molecule by molecule.
Sabree freaked out. “He’s killing her!”
aThorsis’s exposed brilliance would disintegrate all except for me. I refused him the pleasure, refused to let Sabree witness her death and suffer his own.
“Hang on,” I whispered again.
My eyes squeezed shut as her vibrations increased. The pressure behind the orbs radiated heat, but this time the burning traveled along my limbs. When I opened them, my mind released a destructive beam of darkness that shot through both arms and out each finger extended in her direction. Did the attack work? No need to breathe, I held my breath anyway.
A red blaze gushed from Loree’s outline and wavered as if it was trying to seep back inside. “Leave her!” my voice thundered. Hands raised again, ethereal fingers still glowing from the first blast discharged a darker beam her way. The red blaze scattered into particles of blackened dust. A ball of fire shot light years into the vast horizon. The shockwave almost blew us into another dimension. My wings flapped in place to counteract the energy expelled from the obscurity that enclosed Sabree and his mother.
aThorsis’s voice thundered in the distance, filling the entire universe. “The battle has begun. I shall expect you.”
The battle had begun thirty-three trials ago. “I won’t disappoint.” Elation surged through me, the amber glow glimmering for a moment. For once, confidence flowed through me.
A dazed Loree asked her ranking officers what happened. Then she turned to us, her eyes wide with disbelief.
Relief from Sabree surrounded me but from afar. Wait!
His grip no longer attached to my arm, a football field away, Sabree flailed as if he was trying to swim back to me. My mind blast had sent him adrift in the opposite direction. If not for my wings buffering us, he might have rocketed into the next dimension. JLS mode delivered me directly behind him. I latched onto Sabree, and together, we flew back to Loree.
Sabree whispered thanks as he stared at his mother. Her aura shone a serene golden hue much like his and mine. A divine creature.
“Thank you for releasing me from aThorsis” Loree said. “I must warn the Lighted Ones of his misdeeds, his betrayal.”
“They already know and designated me as his replacement once he and I battle. After I dethrone his ass, and I will, I’m to take his place as Timekeeper. Then I will summon those who belonged to him and make them my own. Someone more deserving than you will lead this mutinous army of Malakhim. You’re no longer trustworthy.” One man came to mind—Sabree. Perfect.
“Such limitless power, Brian could choose to play God,” Sabree said to Loree and her army. “I choose my friends well. Conscience overrules power.”
We flew off together for another tour. Sabree 3.0 had earned it. Or maybe not. Time would tell.
30
Starlight
A fter the incredible journey through the portal, Sabree viewed Brian with absolute reverence. Without the necessity of flesh and blood in space, the sight of Brian’s vibrant essence, his very soul, left Sabree awestruck. The myriad of golden hues formed a private solar system of stars, nebulas, quasars, and what have you. A vision in itself. He had never seen any Malakhim flourish in such sublime wonder. The dark void of the wings gave off an ominous vibe in comparison. If tears could form, they would have spilled from his eyes then and there.
In addition to the ultimate adventure inside the portal realm, Brian had set two things straight with the universe. Not only did Sabree get to say good riddance to his deadbeat dad, he also got to witness his mother saved and rectified to her magnificent form. Just as he had envisioned her eons ago, not the possessed soul on the porch staring at him with black eyes void of love. He shivered from the visual, casting it aside to rejoin the here and now inside the great room.
He filled a goblet full of bubbly and handed it to Brian. Sabree lifted his own glass. “Ace of Spades, an expensive rosé champagne. Sniff gently to welcome the bouquet of cherry.” He cleared his throat. “To you, Brian. To our friendship. May it be as resilient as the one you cherished with the future me.”
“Cheers,” Brian said, inhaling the aroma.
After savoring the sweet nectar, Sabree sat on the sofa. “I failed as your protector. Broke my vows to Turian. He was the only one I called friend. So, I would like to remedy my mistakes, my transgressions. You have been honest with me and I betrayed you.”
“You were tricked by aThorsis. He knows your deepest desires, how to tempt you.” Brian sank into the loveseat. “This is sweet.”
“Something new. I was going to retrieve a vintage bottle stored in France, but I’m tired of doing the same old thing. You’ve taught me to start anew.” Sab
ree’s champagne-moistened lips spread thin. “What I failed to realize is that Turian faced the same adversary as you—Athorsis.” For some reason, he couldn’t enunciate the name as well as Brian. No biggie, the archangel deserved little respect. “Unlike my old friend, you have what it takes to accomplish your destiny, including victory over the immoral Lighted One. But, before you go, I’d like you to grant me a few wishes of my own.”
“Name it.”
Brian never dilly-dallied, always candid. No games. Sabree appreciated the trait. “You never mentioned if the future Ariane and I got married. Sure, we shared a daughter, but I thrive on singularity, one friend, one mate. Not a lone wolf like my father. I want to fix my mistakes and participate in your do-over. One in particular, to ask Ariane to become my soulmate. With your permission that is.”
“Sabree, you’re so old fashioned. You have my blessing, but don’t tell Ariane. She’s older and bossier than me. She’d kill you for asking.” Brian reached for the open bottle on the coffee table and refilled his glass. “This will officially make you my brother-in-law. Another worthy toast.”
The goblets clinked and Sabree emptied the glass, holding it out for a fill-up. “More importantly than your blessing, I would like to incorporate an Earth tradition. Will you be my best man?”
The light in Brian’s eyes glimmered. “I’d be honored.”
“Then that settles it. I will ask Ariane right now. We shall wed this evening.”
Brian choked on a mouthful of champagne. “What?”
“There is nothing to plan like traditional Earth marriages. The exchange is quick, more lasting than wedding vows.” No time to waste, Sabree stood to get Brian in gear. “Wear your Scottish kilt if you prefer. Leave the war paint behind.” He winked before he departed the great room in search of Ariane. Most likely she was at work downstairs.
Wait. I must do this right. A quick mist delivered him to an antique shop, one of his favorites. He picked out a champagne diamond engagement ring and band in rose gold to match the pendant he gave her on Halloween. Then Sabree spent time mulling over the antique timepieces and settled on a vintage Victorian pocket watch in 14 karat gold. Perfect.
Wasting little time, Sabree misted into the basement laboratory.
Ariane gave him a sideways glance. “What are you up to?”
Still miffed at him for betraying Brian, Sabree feared she might refuse his proposal. He wished he could take her somewhere special, but she could not turn into a small humming bird while pregnant.
He knelt on one knee. “Ariane, would you do me the honor of becoming my forever soulmate?” The diamond sparkled between his fingertips. “You enrich my soul, make my two hearts beat out of rhythm, and fill me with hope. Please say yes.” He held his breath.
If the Fallen could blush, a rosy complexion colored each of Ariane’s cheeks. “Yes, Sabree. Yes!”
The ring slipped on her finger and she jumped into his arms when he stood, showering him with kisses. Too soon to press the easy button, for what would come next might end the jovial moment. “Will you marry me tonight?”
She pushed back, her gaze raking over him with such intensity. “Why the rush? I have to plan.”
“Not for a celestial ceremony. Brian will take us into the portal.” He hoped. “This will allow our ethereal bodies to pass through each other. Our souls linked for evermore. Please, Ariane, do this for me.”
Her stare softened. “It does sound romantic…evermore.”
“Is that a yes?”
She smirked. “That’s a yes. So, no fancy gown?”
“Pick a gown online and I will fetch it for you. Unessential in the portal realm, you may adorn us in the great room with it on. I’ll even dress in a tux. Let’s plan for seven.” Sabree leaned in for a kiss to seal the deal. Her sweet lips reminded him of the rosé champagne he shared with Brian. “Now, go pick out a gown.”
“You pick one out for me. I have to fix my hair and nails.”
Of all the females he had known on Earth, human or Fallen, none of them would’ve let him buy a handbag never mind a wedding gown. He had fallen in love with a strange bird.
She reached out and placed a hand on his chest where his two hearts beat. “Brian told me why we only have one heart each unlike your two. Unlike all of the Fallen.” Her finger tapped the same spot. “Conceived as twins, we had to share the two hearts, so we ended up with only one each. Twins are unheard of with the Fallen.”
“Interesting theory. I often wondered what went wrong.” Sabree quickly rephrased the ghastly response with his most alluring smile. “I have often wondered why you had only one, which is more giving and loving than any of the Fallen.” Saved? He sure hoped so.
Ariane giggled at first. “Good save.” Then she punched him in the arm. “See you soon.”
Before he fetched a gown in one of the finest shops in Paris, Sabree detoured to the Caderen supply room. He needed a carry-all stone for the best man. The timepiece would never survive the Lighted Realm otherwise. The stone stored items much like Mary Poppins’s magic carpetbag.
His body materialized inside the Caderen facility in an isolated spot near the supply room. His stealth ability on full throttle to avoid unwanted attention, Sabree slipped into the storeroom. Empty for the moment, he hustled to the shelves that housed celestial stones and scanned each labeled container. His gaze landed on the one addressed as Carry-all. He smirked, wishing technology had been around much earlier when he needed it.
He held the box at eyelevel. A beam scanned his retina to release the lock. Only two stones left, four of the six indentations empty. He snatched both and replaced the empty box.
The supply door opened and two Caderen entered. Before he could mist away, one of them recognized him. “Sabree, halt,” Sarieff called out.
Sarieff’s main duty was librarian. He was also one of Cayiel’s favorite go-to people. His personal snitch. Sarieff might kiss ass, but he was more trustworthy than the others. Go against him, however, and he sprayed the offender like a retaliating skunk. At least that’s what came to Sabree’s mind because of the man’s streak of white that set off his dark, wavy hair.
Next to the skunk stood Nixael, not an Original like he, Sarieff, and Cayiel. She stocked the supply room. Sabree hoped she wouldn’t run an inventory until well after his departure.
The skunk approached him as his eyes raked over the supplies. “Are you here to make a report? It’s been weeks. We haven’t heard from Abyss either. Cayiel will be pleased to see you.”
More like eager to interrogate him. If he misted away, Cayiel would send a barrage of Fallen to the mansion. Sabree refused to endanger Ariane. If they found out she was pregnant… his back stiffened. “I have much to tell our elder. Lead the way.” Sabree buttered up his respect for the clan; otherwise, Sarieff would treat him like the enemy.
Before they left Nixael in the supply room, Sabree covered his butt. “I took a carry-all stone. Could have used one 300 years ago in Paris.” The crowned jewels came to mind. He followed Sarieff to the conference room.
Cayiel sat at the head table, extending his hand to the chair nearest him. “You’ve been negligent on your awaited updates. Explain.”
Since the day Cayiel had woken him from his healing nap, knowledge deprivation of this modern world slighted Sabree until he launched into information overload on modern culture and technology. The optimism the twins offered enforced his desire to learn everything about Earth. The Fallen hid from its people, its culture, life itself. Sabree hoped to take the wealth of knowledge with him into the portal realm.
“I may be patient but don’t test me, Sabree. Speak now.”
Once a trusted friend, Sabree stared into those bluish-gray eyes void of emotion. He conjured a white lie to sway Cayiel from sending recruits. Like many, the elder had his own agenda. “Since birth, the ghouls have digested the serum Duncan Colton concocted. The serum inhibits our Fallen gifts. Their supply is low. Duncan’s journal was split into three flash dri
ves. Three duplicate sets hidden. Finding the drives is top priority on Brian’s to-do list.” The white lie fell close to the truth. Or not. Re-do or to-do, not much difference. He hoped Cayiel had not caught wind of Brian handing the destroyed journal to Wayde. He also hoped Cayiel would fumble over the modern lingo. Unfortunately, this was not the case.
“Top priority indeed. Because Brian handed the destroyed flash drives to Wayde, the DanJal killed him. Are the ghouls dangerous to the Fallen? I have heard reports of Malakhim attacks on Earth. Why are you hiding the truth from me!” His frown turned upward to reveal a sad smile. “Why?”
The telepathic shout stung his mind. The familiar smile soothed it somewhat. Sabree lowered his head. “Abyss is dead. Farian is dead. Brian’s doing. He’s not a ghoul. Neither is Ariane. Brian is more than anyone dared imagine. Let me convince him to meet with you. If you try to harm him or his sister, he will swat you like a fly.”
“A threat?”
“The truth…a warning, my old friend. Meet him first. See for yourself. I will set it up.”
3 3 3
Whether Sabree meant it as a joke or not, I dressed into the kilt. Before my sister and Sabree wed this night, I craved a wee bit of adventure to find out what made Sabree tick. Change it up between us so he wouldn’t pull away from a simple gesture like placing a hand on his shoulder. As with most friends, witnessing a troublesome time might bring us closer together. Sabree’s beheading in 1695 came to mind. Morbid... Three hundred years into the past flipped by me in seconds.
Achieving the goal, I materialized in the same spot a second or two later. Even before the first hint of mist swirled, Sabree’s broken laughter rang with my own.
A smirk spread across his face. His eyes glistened between champagne and lavender. “The skirt suits you,” he said.
“Aye, it does.” Smartass remarks aside, I commented on his attire in kind. “You look smart in a tux.”
“Quite handsome too.” Sabree’s fingertips pressed his temples, his face scrunched from the result of my last-minute time travel. He glanced around the room, polishing the bloodstone ring as he did. “You put this ring on my finger before I slipped into hibernation.” An onrush of memories flooded his mind. He stared at me for a long time before his infamous Cheshire grin formed. “It’s you, Brian Ross.”
Archangel of the Fallen Page 21
