by Tigris Eden
“You’re so dramatic.” Micah whispered through her mind. So much for that silence she’d been enjoying.
There were times when being a Host sucked. Xee shook her head in thought. Being a Host sucked all the time. Her Para-housed Micah, could be a pain in the ass one hundred percent of the time. When she was little, her parents mistook the voices in her head as imaginary friends. They didn’t know she was having actual conversations with dead people, or what she now knew were mostly immortal souls lost, only a handful of them having been humans. It wasn’t until her thirteenth birthday that they started to see her for what she really was. A gateway for possession. Instead of trying to help her understand her ability, her parents treated her to her first exorcism. When that didn’t work, they had her institutionalized. Fun times. That had been no picnic. Xee picked up her pace as she passed body after body of, making her way through downtown Houston. Occasionally she’d see something she didn’t want to see. Like the drug dealer at the corner who was really a Croucher Demon, or Entrance Demon. Any chance they had to gain entrance to a human’s soul, they’d go after. That was the true possession. They wore their human’s skin like a thin veil. Only Hosts could see through it and what she saw wasn’t pretty. Grotesque and scaly skin, with slime oozing out of its pores and thick saliva dripping down its chin. It smiled at her. Some demons knew what she was, others didn’t.
Xee turned her music up, as she passed by. Entrance demons didn’t like music, a little tidbit she picked up during her stint in the institution. The screaming, therapy and twisted methods of doctor Mikal Sorenson had guided her to the world of music. She had an eclectic taste and one night when she realized that Mikal was possessed, she decided music would distract her from their group sessions. She’d found that most of the staff abhorred the sound. At least her parents gave her that. They wouldn’t come see her, but they’d send her music. That was how she ended up hosting Micah, a lost soul who’d been tortured and killed, at the hands of Doctor Sorenson. His soul was trapped at the institution with no chance of redemption. The two of them teamed up and struck a deal. Micah was willing to help with the demise of the good doctor, and in exchange for his help, Xee offered her body until he was ready to move on. She’d fast learned that Micah had the better end of their pact. He was annoying as hell, and there were times if she wondered what would have happened if she’d said no. That deal had been struck eight years ago, on her sixteenth birthday.
“Reminisce much.”
“Shut up Micah.” Xee said, rounding the corner and spotting her coffee shop. One of the many setbacks to being a Host was that she found that at times she spoke to her companion out loud for all to hear. On the plus side, she didn’t have to look at his ugly face.
“Keep talking shit Xee.”
Xee reached for the door handle and walked inside the shop. Fresh ground coffee mixed with the scent of sugar and baked goods wafted around her. Dean Martin was singing about love, and save for the cashier and two other patrons, the shop was empty. Thank God. The cashier moved away from the counter to make her coffee. She’d been in enough times that she didn’t have to tell her what her order was unless there was someone else manning the registers. The display case was open for anyone who wished to grab their goodies and there in the display case was her guilty pleasure starring her in the face.
“I think I got all gooey inside just from your orgasmic meltdown ace.”
“Shut it Micah.”
The morning must have been extremely busy. She was expecting to at least get her hands on three cakes, but there was only one. One will have to do. She was just about to reach for the coffee cake when a masculine hand reached past her and grabbed it.
“What the fuck?” Xee looked over her shoulder and froze.
It was an Angel, a real live Angel and it was the first time she’d ever seen one up close. In all her twenty-four years she’d never stood anywhere near an Angel. She’d seen them from afar, had even watched one hunt down its prey, but never had she ever been this close.
“Don’t touch him!” Micah screamed inside her head. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, and her legs were rooted to the spot even though her mind was telling her to run like hell. If Micah was worried, Xee knew she should fear for her life. This guy was dangerous, he exaggerated masculinity in a way that excited and scared the shit out of her. His face was harsh with an aquiline nose and naturally arched brows a shade darker than his blonde hair. He had a warrior’s body, encased in black fatigues and a gray shirt that stretched tight over an expansive, chiseled chest and very broad shoulders. Dude was stacked. None of that really phased her. Not really. It was his wings.
Not one other person in the coffee shop could see them, but she could. His wings blocked out the storefront windows, casting a shadow over the patrons. They probably thought the sun was blocked by clouds. Such was the case in Texas. But it was him, his large, imposing wings, and if she had to guess, she would say they were at least two feet taller than his six foot tall frame at the arched tips, putting them at eight or nine feet. They were a light gray that turned sooty black at the tips.
Hell no she wasn’t going to touch him! But she would give him a piece of her mind, because no one and nothing was going to scare her again. The Angel looked momentarily stunned by her, his lids closed briefly, opened again and his champagne colored eyes zeroed in on her face.
“Did you want it?” he asked looking from her to the coffee cake already in his massive hand.
“Not anymore I don’t, you no-manners having idiot.”
The cashier returned with Xee’s drink.
“Here you go.”
Xee reached into her pants to pull out some cash, but the stranger stopped her with a hand on her shoulder, and Xee jerked away almost hissing at their contact. His touch was electric and not in a good way. Well, her mind fought the reaction, her body relayed a different message. Heat gathered between her legs, and her breast felt heavy and sensitive. Deep-seated-erotic images began flashing through her mind. Her, him, tangled and panting. Where in the hell did that come from? She didn’t tangle with men.
“I’ll take care of it May, thanks.” The blonde Angel said putting a twenty on the table. Again he reached over Xee and she quickly backed away.
Was this dude for real? Who did he think he was, an Angel do-gooder?”
“Xee just take the coffee and go, honey bear.”
Micah only called her honey bear when he really wanted something from her and he really wanted her to leave. She wasn’t homeless, she may look raggedy to an outsider, but her clothes were clean, she had a roof over her head. She even had a job interview today. She wasn’t helpless dammit!
“Hey Ace, I don’t need your help. Take your money off the table and back your truck up.” Xee slapped a five on the counter next to his twenty and moved around him and his giant ass wings.
“Ace?”
She didn’t stop as she made her way to the door, but she did impart one last thing before stepping out into the mid-morning throng of people.
“Yeah, Ace. You know, high flyer.”
The Angel had a look of utter confusion on his face as she walked out.
“Clearly, today is going to be a fucked up day Xee, let’s just hope this was the highlight reel and it’s now over. You have an interview to prep for.”
“No shit, Sherlock.” Xee said aloud as she passed by a couple of Changelings on the street. Today must be Immortal come out and play day or something because the creepy crawlies were out in mass.
Gabe made it back to the units building with a hard on. A damn hard on! He didn’t even care for sex anymore. He had other issues on his mind, like going back to his realm and facing off with his brothers and finding a replacement that was best suited for his job here on Earth. So far no one had been able to solve the simple algorithm he’d put out as a test. He needed to try a different tactic.
“Dravaggio’s wai
ting for you in the War Room.”
He tried not to cringe at the sound of the Siren’s voice. He understood her purpose, but damn that voice of hers was hideous. Dravaggio placed Ellie in the front to detour humans from getting past the front desk. To humans, the Shadow Unit building looked like a professional medical building, but it wasn’t. Humans always ignored the building thanks to the magical wards put up, courtesy of the local coven. But some humans were sensitive to magic and couldn’t be clouded, like the girl from the coffee shop. She’d noticed him, really noticed him and he had the strangest impression she’d noticed his wings. He’d let them out but not so humans could see. It completely shocked the hell out of him even as he popped a boner. A boner that was still very prominent if the look of embarrassment on Ellie’s face was anything to go by. Her cheeks were red and her eyes were down cast as she abruptly swiveled in her chair when their eyes connected.
“Let him know I’m on my way, gotta swing up to Jes and Draven’s, drop off some coffee cake for the mom-to-be.”
Jesminda was pregnant and although she was happy and glowing, Gabe knew he wouldn’t be able to help her on this leg of her journey. Grey had made that painfully clear, and now that he only had a couple of weeks left on his sentence, his angelic powers were swiftly returning. His visions were back, and what he saw in her future wasn’t good. Her journey in this life was on a temporary pause. So he splurged on the once human now Elder Angel and got her and her belly whatever they desired. Gabe hit the stairs instead of the elevators hoping his erection would be under control by the time he made it up the four flights to the living quarters. The units’ building was now a living and breathing entity. Lycans, Vampiri, Angels, Ferals, and Demons, but a very select few lived here, himself included. Gabe walked down the hall and tried his hardest not to cringe.
Jes and Draven’s door burst open and out ran Faith with another little girl. It was Sam’s niece, Reece. Sam had recently joined the team and was second in command in Draven’s pack. Draven and his father, Alexander had a huge falling out which resulted in the pack splitting. Sam followed Draven along with several other pack members who now resided here at the units building.
“Stay on this floor you two, common area only. Got me?” Jes said on the other side of the door.
“Yes,” they both yelled over their shoulders, sprinting toward the television room. Jes spotted him and her golden eyes lit up when she smiled.
“Gabe.”
“Hey pretty lady.”
“Hey there yourself,” Jes looked amazing and she was glowing so brightly he almost had to look away. Pregnancy sat well with her. Gabe held the bag up for her to see.
“I almost lost my life trying to nab this for you, but you’re worth it.”
Jes snatched the bag eagerly and moaned. There was an audible growl from inside her room making Gabe chuckle under his breath.
“That better be food Petal that’s making you moan.”
“Oh hush.”
Nodding in Jes’ direction Gabe turned making his way back towards the staircase to meet up with Dravaggio in the War Room. Seconds before he hit the stairs, he heard Jes’ high-pitched laughter.
Gabe reflected on his time. What was left of it and how he’d gotten to be where he is. This precise moment, theses seconds were all a reminder of what little time he had left. He’d made friends, he’d made enemies, and he’d bedded his fair share of women over the last two hundred years. Now, he only had a couple of weeks to say his goodbyes and make lasting memories before he was in another place, another time. Time on his plane worked differently than on Earth’s plane. It was unending. A place folding in on itself repeatedly where one could live infinitely beyond millennia because time was never kept. There were no clocks, no moon and sun phases to signal the end or start of the day. There was just existence and the push to carry out one’s purpose. His purpose was death. He’d gone by many names, had been called many things. All of them fit aptly.
Gibril.
Jibrīl.
Jibrāʾīl.
Gavri'el.
Gaḇrîʼēl.
All were names he’d been called throughout his long life.
Heralder of Death.
Angel of Death.
Harbinger of Death. That one was his favorite.
Tenth Plague.
Angel of Death over Kings.
Man in Linen.
Agent of Death.
Hired Assassin.
All were titles that were given to him. In fact, it was the last one that exiled him to Earth’s realm for two hundred years. Here on Earth, time dragged by its rotation around the Sun. Eight point six four, plus thirteen nanoseconds equaled twenty-four hours, which equaled one day, which in turn, equaled point nine nine seven two eight three four four ninth’s of a year. Which one could easily round to one. However, that small slice of time added up to seventy-three thousand, forty-eight days. Gabe wasn’t worried about the four after the decimal because that was small in comparison. Out of time served, he had twenty thousand, one hundred and sixty minutes left to go on his sentence and then he could come and go between realms as his pleased. As long as he didn’t interfere with the threads of time, as he’d done in the past, and remained unseen to the souls of the living.
Two fucking weeks. Then he’d be invisible to Earth’s realm, oh he could come and go as he pleased as long as he was unseen. Invisible. Non-existent.
Gabe pushed through the double doors and walked into the War Room where Dravaggio waited. The other man sat relaxed at the head of the table, arms folded and resting on the glass as his fingers tapped out some beat only he could hear. His purple eyes fixated on something past Gabe’s shoulder.
“Sir?”
The Captain’s eyes focused and nodded toward one of the empty chairs in the room. He cleared his throat.
“Glad you’re back. The last candidate will be here in a few minutes. I wanted to go over what I know of her.”
Her? All the possible replacements had been male thus far, not that he really cared about gender, but in the end, Gabe didn’t have time for entanglements. He’d seen it happen so many times when two people of the opposite gender worked in close quarters together. Lines were crossed and feelings began to bleed into the project. Not a chance. Leaving in a matter of weeks. That was the only security he had. He could explain up front should she secure the job, that he was leaving and there was no use in either of them developing any sort of feelings for the other. Hopefully she’d work out. All the other candidates had failed.
“Who is she?”
Dravaggio relaxed his shoulders and stopped drumming his fingers on the table.
“Kapua Hale.”
Hawaiian, that was definitely different.
“Tell me what you know about Hosts.”
“They host the Para-housed. Typically, they can be human but most of the time there is something more about them. Humans view hosts as possessed. Most of the time the unfortunates end up in institutions or suffer mental damage depending on the type of Para housed inside of them. They’re loners and to someone like me, can be extremely vulnerable as it’s in my nature to take the soul and place it where it belongs.”
“Kapua Hale is all of the above. She was institutionalized as a child. She’s been out for four years and from what Degas Deadcrest tells me, she’s a technical genius.”
Gabe would be the judge of that. Degas didn’t know the difference between what was considered a tech genius, or a walking textbook. There was a difference. The only question he needed answered when it came to Ms. Hale was, was she was any good?
“Sounds promising.”
Dravaggio nodded as the intercom alerted them to an incoming call.
“Go ahead.”
“Miss Hale to see you sir.”
“Please have one of the team bring her down.”
“Yes sir.”
Dravaggio looked up, a tight smile across his face.
; “You talk, I’ll observe. If we get her to sign with us, then I’ll speak.”
“You gonna have her sign the new documents?”
The Captain nodded. There was a glint in his eyes. He could filter energy from anyone, but humans were more susceptible to his voice than immortals. Unless he turned his voice up a notch, which the man was prone to do without even realizing it and it affected everyone. Now that Jes was part of the team, they’d had new contracts drawn up that they all signed in blood. It bound not only Dravaggio but also the signer. There would be no energy exchange unless it was mutual. But until she signed a contract, which was still up in the air, she’d would likely strip off her clothes at Dravaggio’s first opening sentence. It would obviously pose a problem.
Chapter 2
“If we’re late Micah, I swear I’m never going to speak to you again.” Xee said making her way to the address she’d written down. She’d woken up disoriented again and in a strange place. She did not know how she ended up three blocks away from her apartment in a bar. It made her angry, but most notably, scared. When she’d asked the bartender how she’d gotten there, he’d shrugged and continued wiping down the bar. Stupid fuck. Micah said he’d been sleeping and was just as discombobulated as she was. Whatever. Maybe she was sleep walking again. It had happened before when she was younger.
“I promise we will make it on time.”
They had better.
Xee turned the corner and noticed the building right away. It was tall and non-descript, but she could see the words inscribed on the door and windows pulsing with a white glow.
