The Soul Thief

by Kim Richardson

  Alexa stiffened slightly. She knew Daniel was only trying to help. “Thanks for your help, Daniel.”

  Alexa left the library feeling unsatisfied. She knew the murders, the missing souls, and this black rift were all connected. And she was going to find out how.

  She spent another hour moping around the hotel grounds and feeling sorry for herself. But she knew the real reason she was here was to fight demons. Her feelings would have to wait. She’d deal with them later.

  The bell on her phone dinged suddenly.

  Shit.

  She had almost forgotten about it. The envelope icon was flashing on her screen. She’d gotten a message.

  Darknight: Hi LindseyJones. Coffee sounds great. How about we meet tonight around 9 p.m. at The Grind?

  Alexa hated when she was right. It had been too easy.

  The Grind was a late-night coffee shop where all the cool people hung out. She knew the layout well. It was located right next to the fair and at the edge of Mystic Forest. Despite wanting to write back ASAP, she allowed a few minutes to pass. She didn’t want to seem desperate, and she didn’t want to scare him off.

  After determining that it’d been long enough, she wrote back.

  LindseyJones: Okay. If I get there first, I’ll take a window seat. See you later.

  Michael, she whispered to herself. She’d decided that if things went badly for her when she got back to the Legion, at least she’d have the satisfaction of having stopped the murderous SOB. She’d make sure she got to him first. She was going to stop him, no matter what.

  Alexa shook her head to clear her mind. In less than three hours, she would come face to face with Michael, or whoever else might be Darknight. Her plan needed to be perfect. This was her only shot, and she couldn’t screw it up.

  She hurried back towards the hall in search of Erik and Matt to share her good news. She didn’t know what to expect when she saw Erik, and her artificial heart pounded faster and faster. She was distracted. It felt so real.

  She swung open the doors and came face to face with an imposing man with a long raven braid.

  Michael.

  CHAPTER 22

  ALEXA HALTED IN THE DOORWAY, stunned that she’d come face to face with him.

  Up close, he was even taller than she remembered. His black clothes did little to hide his fit and muscular body. The deep V in his tight shirt drew attention to the birthmark on his collarbone. It was almost as though he was making sure everyone knew which house he belonged to before he turned his traitorous heart on them. His deep blue eyes were almost hypnotic. It would be easy for a girl to fall under his spell. He seemed to realize this, and a smile spread slowly on his too-perfect lips.

  They stood there, for a second, not saying anything. She could see something rectangular that looked a lot like a cell phone in his jacket pocket.

  “Hello, angel.” His voice was not cruel or bitter, but rather casual like you’d find when meeting someone at a party. “It’s Alexa, isn’t it?”

  Alexa returned his smile despite the revulsion she felt for him. “And you’re Michael, head of House Michael.”

  In a moment of silence that lasted forever, she stood still as he took her in. Then his smile widened, his teeth too white, too perfect. He was so damn good looking. She wanted to kick him.

  “I am.”

  “Is your name a coincidence, or did your parents know you were bound to House Michael?”

  He looked irritated for a second, but then his cool smile returned. “Something like that.” He seemed to enjoy being so close to her.

  Alexa looked for a sign that a demon stood before her and not a man. A demon could possess a human body easily, especially if the human had made an alliance with it. But even though her angel senses were acute, she felt nothing. Still, there were other ways to expose a demon.

  He seemed to enjoy being a little too close for comfort. His eyes gleamed, and Alexa suspected he knew all too well what it felt like to kiss an angel. Maybe even to bed one. Her instincts told her that he already had, and she could not ignore the sexual confidence with which he studied her now. She shivered at the thought.

  His clothes were tailored to perfection and were far too fine for the demon hunting business.

  “Going somewhere?” she inquired.

  He was alone, and he smelled irritatingly pleasing.

  Alexa couldn’t tell whether her question had surprised or unnerved him. But before she could pester him with more questions, he stepped around her carefully and made for his SUV. His long raven braid swung against his back as he walked away.

  Alexa needed to find the others. Her back barked in pain as she hurried quietly down the main hall towards the training room. She swallowed hard. Her body felt too heavy, and her limbs were stiff.

  Time. She was running out of time. She could feel the urgency with which her infected M-suit wished to return to Horizon.

  The doors to the training room were ajar, and Alexa was lost in her thoughts when Rachel shouldered her hard from behind.

  Alexa hissed, “Watch it!” The wound on her back flared in pain and ripped open just a little more.

  “Or what?” Rachel was in her face. Alexa could smell her vanilla perfume. Everything from the defiant expression on her face to the aggressive stance of her body was a clear indication that she wanted to have another fight. Alexa had purposely stayed clear of Hallow Hall to avoid having to deal with the tall blonde. She was afraid of what she might do to her.

  Two other female operatives stood on either side of Rachel like personal bodyguards. Alexa recognized the stocky redhead as a girl named Karen. The other girl, Lizzy, was even taller than Rachel, and her midnight colored skin and short-cropped hair made her look formidable. They both glared at Alexa as if they wished she were dead.

  Alexa could see Erik in the training room behind them.

  Rachel would probably have had a fit if she knew what had transpired between her and Erik last night. Perhaps she should be thanking her. If it hadn’t been for the scene she had caused, Erik might never have come to her room.

  Alexa bared her teeth. “I don’t have time to deal with your crap right now. So I’m going to ask nicely. Please. Get out of my way.”

  “Why? Afraid of what might happen, stiff?” Rachel’s voice was loud enough for everyone in the hall to hear. She smiled when she noticed Erik turn in their direction.

  Alexa laughed softly. “Afraid of what I might do to you, bitch.” Alexa’s voice was like steel. She was unfazed by Rachel. She’d had enough of her.

  Rachel smiled cruelly. “It’s pathetic, the way you look at him. But you’re fooling yourself. He might use you for a quick release, but you’ll never be more than a one-night stand. You’ll never be together. It’s immoral and wrong. And you’re stupid if you think otherwise. You think a guy with Erik’s looks and future would even look twice at you?” Rachel laughed. “You’re not even that good looking. But worse, you’re a stiff. You’re a supernatural monster. You’re dead.”

  Alexa felt like she’d been slapped in the face, but she stood her ground. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.” She kept her voice low enough so it wouldn’t reach Erik. “It’s not like that.”

  “Oh, really?” Rachel threw her head back theatrically. “We’ve all seen it. The way you cling to him. That sad, puppy dog look you have whenever he’s around. You practically throw yourself at him like a cheap whore.”

  Alexa stepped around Rachel, only to be blocked by Lizzy.

  “Angel whore,” she said, and she and Karen smiled meanly at Alexa.

  “You’re going way too far with this,” said Alexa. Her voice was growing uneven with rage, and she clenched her fingers into fists so hard that her nails tore into her flesh until it hurt.

  “I saw him go into your room last night,” said Rachel. “Was it as good as you thought it would be? Did he promise you anything? He’s a very good lover. But I don’t need to tell you that, right?”

  “Wh
at? Are you spying on me now?” Alexa shook her head. “Nothing happened. Not that it’s any of your damn business anyway.” She looked past Rachel’s shoulder and could see that Erik was trying out weapons with Matt.

  “I doubt that.” Rachel bared her teeth. “Everyone’s talking about it, about you and him. It’s all over Hallow Hall that you’re staying here in spite of your orders because you’re in love with him.”

  Alexa sucked on her teeth, but despite the fury that bubbled inside her, Alexa didn’t have anything to say for a comeback. She tried not to show any emotions, but she feared they could see the truth in her face.

  “No matter what you think,” mused Rachel. “Erik’s no saint. You’ll see. Whatever you think is going on, he’s not thinking the same. Trust me. He’s male, and mortal, don’t you forget what that means.”

  Alexa was tempted to leave, but the weight of Rachel’s words pressed heavily on her.

  “I’m here on assignment,” said Alexa. “Think what you want, but it’s nothing more.”

  Rachel stared down at her. “I’ve heard that the Legion would strip an angel’s wings for falling in love with a mortal. I know your laws, your code. I know it’s forbidden. And when the Legion finds out, because they will—if they haven’t already, you’ll be done. Fornicating with mortals means a death sentence for you.”

  Rachel mused, “You are truly a disgrace in the name of angels.”

  Without waiting for more of Rachel’s words, Alexa said, “Go to hell.” She pushed past Rachel and her bodyguards and made her way towards Erik and Matt. She wouldn’t let Rachel break her spirit.

  “He’ll never love you, you know.” Rachel’s voice bounced against the walls. “How could anyone love a dead thing?”

  Alexa cringed as Erik looked back towards her. But she kept her eyes on the gleaming marble floor and was unwilling to look at him to see if there was any truth of Rachel’s words.

  As stupid and foolish as it was, she couldn’t help what she felt. It had just happened. She tried hard not to think about the infection that was slowly and surely destroying her M-Suit, or about her foolish dream of a life between a mortal and an angel.

  Crossing the hall took forever. Alexa’s limbs felt like concrete blocks, and she felt numb. She didn’t have a poker face. She’d always been told she was easy to read, that she wore her emotions on her sleeve. She knew Erik would know how she felt. And she’d be humiliated.

  They had kissed, nothing more. And it wasn’t as if Erik had expressed any more affection either. He had left. Maybe he had been teasing her, playing with her emotions, like Rachel had insinuated. But regardless of what Rachel had said, the moment had been real to her.

  Rachel had succeeded in winding up Alexa to the point where she was ready to spin out of control. Was that what Rachel had wanted? Had Rachel intended that Alexa should lose control and hurt someone?

  She knew she would face serious consequences in Horizon if she allowed Rachel to get under her skin, particularly if she hurt her. She would have to ignore her and get on with her job. Saving lives came first.

  Erik’s expression was hard, but he wasn’t looking at her. He looked past her to where Rachel and her besties stood. If he had ever cared about Rachel, it didn’t show now. He looked as if he loathed her.

  Alexa wanted to turn around, just to see the look on Rachel’s face. Erik’s reaction had been enough to subdue her anger, and she felt a tiny little victory. Did she just see a smile on his face? She smiled at him in a way that she hoped showed nothing more than friendship. She would make time to think about Erik and her feelings later.

  “It’s done,” said Alexa, breaking the awkward silence. “He took the bait. We’re to meet at The Grind for coffee at nine o’clock.”

  Matt’s eye widened. “Impressive. You work fast, girl.”

  “You sure it’s him,” asked Erik, and she knew he meant someone other than Michael. “You sure it’s the killer.”

  “Positive. Darknight was the last person to be with the victim. Even if it’s not him, we still need to check him out. We’ll cross him off the list if he’s not the one.” She pulled out her cell phone to show them. “It’s almost eight,” she said. “We can talk about the plan in the car. We should go.”

  Erik hesitated. “We should tell Santo,” he said finally. “It’s not smart to go at it alone. Things can go wrong, very wrong. We’re going to need backup.”

  Something sad glistened in his eyes, and Alexa knew he was referring to what had happened with his parents. It pained her for what she was about to say, but there was no other way.

  “We can’t tell him,” said Alexa as gently as she could. “If you tell him he’ll warn the others and Michael.” She lifted her hands in surrender. “I know, I know. You don’t think it’s him. But I’m telling you it is. Just trust me on that, okay? He has something to do with this, and tonight I’ll prove it to you. Besides, the three of us can deal with one mortal or demon, right?”

  “Sure,” said Matt. “But when is it ever just one demon?”

  Alexa raised her brows. “True. But I have a feeling tonight will be different.”

  “And if you’re wrong?” Erik sheathed his soul blade. His expression had hardened, and he looked tense.

  Alexa sighed. “I could be wrong. And if I am, I’ll take the blame. And we’ll be back to square one.” She wanted to reach out and touch him, and for a second she thought about the warmth of his lips on hers. She shook her head. “Tonight we’ll take every precaution. If something feels off…if we feel our lives are in danger, we can back off and call Santo. Deal?”

  The color came back to Erik’s cheeks. “I don’t like it. But we’ll do what you say. But if things get ugly…we retreat and call for backup.”

  “Yes,” said Alexa, trying to look confident. “Let’s go.”

  CHAPTER 23

  ALEXA HAD RIDDEN IN THE back seat of Erik’s 1969 Ford Mustang and had tried to stay focused on her plan, but it proved difficult because Erik continually stalked her through the rearview mirror. She could tell he was worried about her.

  Things could go horribly wrong, but she was resolved to prove to them that Michael somehow was behind the murders. She suspected he wanted her dead and out of the way, too. She’d show them that the trusted head of House Michael was the vessel for a demon, and she had a plan to do it. She had stolen two cups of salt from the hall kitchen, dumped it into a Ziploc bag, and put it safely into her jacket pocket.

  The others didn’t need to know about the salt, not yet.

  Alexa had stumbled when they had first arrived, and although she had recovered before Erik or Matt had noticed anything, she was worried that her M- suit was deteriorating too fast. She wasn’t ready to go back to Horizon. Not yet. If Erik suspected she was unwell, she knew he’d call the whole thing off. This was her only chance to get Michael, and nothing, not even a deteriorating body was going to stop her.

  “You ready?” Erik’s eyes shone with concern.

  Alexa forced a half smile and wished her legs would stop shaking. “I’m ready.” Slowly, the feeling returned to her legs. “I should go in first though, just in case,” she said with more confidence, now that her limbs seemed to be functioning normally again. “We can’t risk him spotting us together.”

  “Fine. But we’ll be right behind you. If anything feels off, you leave. You just call out and we’ll be there. Okay.”

  “He might not even show up,” said Matt. He hid the hilt of his sword on his back with the collar of his jacket.

  Alexa surveyed the crowds of mortals. “He’ll show up.” Of course he would. He wouldn’t pass off the opportunity to kill another innocent girl, to get another soul for whatever twisted reason.

  “Here, take this just in case.” Erik tossed her a dagger.

  She reached out, but her fingers were like chop sticks, and the dagger slipped from her hand.

  “Ah. Sorry. You’re too fast.” She tried to brush her fumbling off.

  Her fi
ngers cracked as she wrapped them slowly around the handle of the blade. When she held it up, she realized Erik had given her his soul blade.

  “I can’t take this? This is your soul blade.” She handed it back, but he wouldn’t take it. He was staring at her hands.

  Erik squared his jaw. “What’s wrong with your hands.”

  “Nothing,” she lied too easily. “I wasn’t ready. I wasn’t paying attention because I was too busy thinking about what I was going to do. I didn’t see you toss it until it was too late.”

  Liar. Liar. Liar.

  Erik relaxed. “I want you to have it. I’ll feel a lot better leaving you on your own if I know you have a backup soul blade.” He tapped inside his jacket, and she heard something hard concealed in his pocket. “I have more than enough weapons on me anyway. Take it.”

  Alexa grasped the soul blade tighter, to keep her traitorous fingers from trembling and giving her away. Her fingers barked in pain, but she gritted her teeth and kept her face neutral. She rubbed the cool hilt and then slipped it onto her weapons belt.

  “Ready,” she said. She didn’t give him a chance to reply before she stalked across the parking lot.

  They had arrived at The Grind a half hour early, and she strategically chose the table closest to the exit at the back. Her knuckles were white as she gripped her coffee mug.

  The huge place was crowded with tables, chairs, and sofas. Ambient light from the street spilled through floor-to-ceiling windows. The place was packed for a Monday night, and music thundered over the cacophony of voices.

  She sat cupping her coffee mug. Her fingers were numb, like they had been frozen and were slowly thawing. It was the same with her toes. Her body was deteriorating faster than she thought.

  How the hell was she supposed to fight off Michael if her legs and hands didn’t work?

  Worse, if he brought some demon friends, it would do her no good to have chopsticks as fingers. She was turning into a real stiff. She was screwed.