The Daughter of Zion

by Elicia Hyder

  “Ironic,” I said.

  “You’re telling me. There’s Wi-Fi down here too. It’s maddeningly slow, but it’s so archaic it’s almost unhackable. When I logged into the forum last night, I had a message waiting from Huffman.”

  I jerked upright. “And you didn’t tell me?”

  “You were finally going to bed, and he didn’t have real info for us yet. I knew it could wait till morning.”

  “What’d he say?”

  “He’s been trying to reach us. Sent a warning while we were gone about a new weapon. Guess we know which one.”

  “What’d he say about it?”

  “Nothing more than we were already told, but I asked for details. I’ll let you know if I get a response.”

  I nodded. “Have you seen Cassiel yet?”

  “Everyone was asleep when I went by there this morning to check on our prisoners. I didn’t want to disturb them.”

  “Have you thought anymore about the risks of letting that guy Kelvin contact people on the inside at Claymore?”

  “Thought about it? Sure. But I haven’t come to any other conclusions besides it’s risky. The alternative though is Cassiel will probably die.”

  “And lots of other angels might get killed as well.”

  “Weighing it out, I think it’s worth letting him try. What’s the worst that could happen? Claymore finds out where we’re hiding, and the Morning Star tries to kill us?”

  I smiled. “You’re right.”

  “Rumor is, for the past few years, they’ve been flagging all calls into Claymore from this area, but if we use the computer upstairs, I can hook him up with a secure line that doesn’t originate from this area. Again, risky, but worth it.”

  “I agree. We don’t want to put our contacts on the inside in danger either if we can help it. Do we have any way to contact the Father? I feel like he and the other angels should be aware of this.”

  “The last we heard, he was traveling with Gabriel. I’ll have Ionis contact him.”

  “Where is Ionis? I haven’t seen him yet.”

  “He’s probably asleep. He says he needs all the beauty rest he can get.”

  “That doesn’t surprise me.” I started toward the door.

  “If you’re hungry, breakfast is ready. You should probably get in there fast. Reuel just came up,” he said.

  “I want to see Cassiel first.”

  “Give her my best.”

  I gave him a thumbs-up as I walked into the hallway. Voices carried through the partially open door of the dining room, but I didn’t pause for fear of being stopped before I could see Cassiel.

  When I reached the infirmary, I saw Iliana asleep in a chair beside the bed. Because she had slept in the RV, she insisted that Fury and I get some sleep. She had stayed with Cassiel the rest of the night.

  Across the bed, a human spirit hovered.

  Dr. Robert Jordan.

  It was a jarring sight. Outside Eden, I’d never seen the human soul of someone I knew so well. Dr. Jordan had almost been my father-in-law. I’d grown to love him like one, and he’d always treated me like a son.

  Now his soul appeared old and weary. A consequence of being stuck in this realm.

  When he saw me, he came out into the hallway, passing through the door without opening it. “Warren, my son.” He embraced me. “Oh, how we’ve missed you.”

  I pulled back and held him at arm’s length. “It’s good to be home.”

  “How are you?”

  “I’m well. Thankful to be back.”

  “Is what I’ve heard true?”

  “That I thought I was only gone two days?”

  He nodded.

  “Yeah. It was a shock.”

  “I’m sure.”

  “And it’s a shock seeing you like this.”

  His smile was sad. “I must count my blessings where I can find them. I’m no longer sick or in pain, and for that, I am thankful.” He looked down at his ethereal body. “And this won’t be forever, right?”

  “Right. We are going to get you home to Eden.”

  “I’m sure you will.” He glanced back into the infirmary. “But perhaps it’s for the best that I’m here now. Your friend is very sick.”

  “Do you know what’s wrong with her?”

  “Without being able to do any tests, hemolytic anemia would be my guess. It seems something is destroying her red blood cells faster than her bone marrow is able to create more.”

  “Any idea how we stop it?”

  “Not without knowing the cause. You should call in a medical professional to test for toxins.”

  “Toxins shouldn’t affect angels,” I said.

  His head tilted forward. “Neither should swords.”

  Good point.

  “We’re waiting on news about what exactly was in that bullet.”

  He nodded. “You should hook up Cassiel to some monitors. We should be able to tell a lot from her vitals.”

  “Is it the same with angels as with humans?”

  “Warren, a human would long be dead.”

  “You think the poison is deadly for everyone?”

  “A human wouldn’t have survived the bullet, never mind whatever’s inside it.”

  He was right. Kelvin only survived because Iliana had been right there.

  Dr. Jordan looked back through the glass. “You need a proper doctor and nurse. Someone who can at least start an IV and run some blood tests.”

  “I can start an IV.”

  “You can?”

  I nodded. “I had basic field-medicine training when I was with the Marines. I started an IV on Fury when we were in Nulterra.”

  “OK. She needs fluids, at the very least, and probably something for the pain. There’s morphine in the locked cabinet at the nurse’s station.”

  “Our bodies metabolize it too quickly.”

  “Her cellular function is clearly inhibited. I think the morphine is worth a try.”

  “OK. Is there anything else we can give her that might slow the poison?”

  He hesitated.

  “What is it?”

  “I wonder what might happen if she’s transfused with some of Iliana’s blood. Rh-null blood is called ‘golden blood’ for a reason. It can be given to anyone, regardless of blood type. And with Iliana’s powers…”

  “It might save Cassiel?”

  He shrugged. “I really don’t know.”

  “Any suggestions for a doctor we might call? Someone who isn’t easily shocked, with the ability to keep their mouth shut?”

  He thought for a moment. “I’ll see if I can come up with some names.”

  “Thank you.”

  “I wish I could do more to help, but I seem to be cut off from everything material in this world.” His eyes fell. “I can’t even hug my own daughter.”

  I put my hand on his shoulder again. “It won’t be forever,” I repeated.

  “I know. Where are Sloan and Nathan? I asked Iliana, but she was very vague with her answer.”

  I crossed my arms. “They’re with Adrianne.”

  “You mean they’re with the Morning Star.”

  “Yes, but we have no reason to believe he will harm them.”

  Dr. Jordan lifted an eyebrow. “He will use them as leverage. They aren’t safe there.”

  There was no point in arguing. He was right.

  “What can I do to help?” he asked.

  “I don’t know yet.”

  “But if you think of anything, you’ll tell me?”

  “Of course.”

  “I’ll look in later on Cassiel.”

  I watched him walk down the hall toward the door. “Dr. Jordan?”

  He looked back.

  “Can you walk through doors and walls?” I asked.

  The ghost smiled. “Only windows, my son.”

  Interesting. “How will you get out of the bunker?”

  “Kane will let me out. We have a system.”

  The thought of their system in
trigued me, but right now, Cassiel needed my attention. “We’ll chat more later.”

  “Of course we will.” Then he turned and disappeared through the door at the end of the hall. It had a window into the lobby.

  “Damn,” I whispered to myself.

  When I walked inside, I realized Jett was asleep, sitting on the floor beside Iliana’s legs. I blew out a sigh and walked past them to the nurse’s station. Using my power, I opened all the locked cabinets until I found a morphine stash, a couple of bags of saline, and an IV start kit.

  I carried them back to Cassiel’s bedside, and the overwhelming stench of rotting meat burned my nose. Restraining my gag reflex, I hooked the saline bag onto the IV pole by her bed. The squeak of its rolling wheels echoed around the room.

  Jett’s eyes popped open with a startled jerk. “Warren.”

  I ripped open the IV supplies with my teeth. “Morning,” I said and spat a piece of plastic onto the floor.

  Jett pinched the bridge of his nose. “What time is it?”

  “Eight thirty.” I straightened Cassiel’s arm. Her skin was hot to the touch, and her cheeks were red and splotchy. I tied a tourniquet around her upper arm.

  “What are you doing?” Jett asked, standing.

  “Her body needs fluids.” I swabbed the inside of Cassiel’s elbow with alcohol, then slid the needle into an unnaturally black vein.

  The needle prick exploded the vein, and a black starburst spread under her skin. I pulled out the needle and swore. “Jett, wake up Iliana.”

  He turned toward her. “Iliana.”

  She groaned, sounding just like her mother.

  “There’s a problem,” he said.

  In the corner of my eye, I saw her bolt upright. “What happened?” she asked.

  “Blew a vein.” I moved out of Iliana’s way. “They’re really weak.”

  She spread her healing light over Cassiel’s arm. After a few seconds, Cassiel drew in a raspy breath.

  Iliana looked over at Jett. “The smell is getting worse.”

  “What is it?” Jett asked.

  “Death,” I answered, and I wasn’t joking. It was the same smell that emanated from freshly rotting corpses.

  “I think the bleeding under her skin stopped.” Iliana pulled her hands away and moved back. “Want to try the needle again?”

  “Yeah.” I found a different vein. One that appeared normal compared to the last. My hands trembled as I slid the needle in through the skin again.

  That time, it worked.

  I let out a slow exhale and finished hooking her up to the bag.

  “I didn’t know you could do that,” Iliana said.

  “I didn’t either,” I replied with a smile. “It’s a skill I learned a few lifetimes ago, and I have had to do it twice in the last week.” I moved to the head of the bed and felt Cassiel’s forehead. “She’s burning up.”

  “She’s fighting hard. I’m not surprised she has a fever.” Iliana sat on the bed. She gave a violent yawn.

  I palmed the back of Iliana’s head. “Why don’t you go get some sleep? I’ll sit with her a while.”

  “Did you sleep at all?”

  “I did. Thank you. Now it’s your turn.”

  She flexed her fingers a few times. “I’ll give her another treatment, then we’ll go.”

  We? My eyes flashed across the room to Jett, but by some miracle, I kept my mouth shut.

  Iliana’s healing light burned in her palms, weaker and dimmer than it had been the night before.

  “How many times did you treat her during the night?” I asked.

  “About once an hour until I was too exhausted to continue.” She pressed the light into Cassiel’s chest, and immediately, Cassiel’s breathing steadied.

  I studied Iliana’s tired face. “It takes a lot out of you, doesn’t it?”

  “I’ll be okay.” She forced a weak smile.

  “Your grandfather said we should get a doctor in here to test for toxins,” I said.

  “Papa was here?”

  “When I came in.”

  She looked surprised. “I saw him last night, but I didn’t hear him come in this morning.”

  I cracked a grin. “Would you?”

  “Yeah, I guess you’re right,” she said with a smile.

  “I told him about your mom and Nathan.”

  Iliana grimaced. “I didn’t want him to worry until we knew more.”

  “Wondering makes parents worry even more,” I said.

  She nodded, but I could see her own concern bubbling in her tired eyes.

  I stood and hooked a finger under her chin to lift her face. “Iliana, we will get them back. If I have to burn down the whole state of North Carolina, I will get your mom and dad out of there.”

  “I know you will.” She stretched on her toes to hug me.

  I held her head against my chest and pressed a kiss into her hair.

  “Where is he?” A shrill shriek behind me sent a shiver up my spine. I turned and saw a blonde with inch-thick makeup and a messy morning updo.

  “Shannon Green,” I said.

  “Shannon Green-Reese,” she snapped, without looking at me. She was glaring at Jett with her hands on her hips. She wore a maroon velvet jumpsuit and pink slippers with white pompoms on top of the toes.

  Clearly on a mission, she stalked across the room and pounded her finger against Jett’s breastbone. “I know you know where he is. Where’s Nico?”

  Jett held up his hands and backed a few steps away. “As far as I know, Rogan is trying to get back here, but I haven’t talked to him today.”

  For the first time since we’d met, I actually felt bad for the guy.

  “You get him on the phone right now!”

  “He doesn’t have a phone,” Iliana said.

  Shannon’s hands flailed wildly beside her ears. “Then use your angel walkie-talkies, and tell me where my son is!”

  “It isn’t safe,” Jett said.

  Jett most certainly had been communicating with Rogan, but there was no way on earth he’d tell Shannon of her son’s whereabouts. Shannon’s personality had always screamed liability, but now she seemed downright hysterical.

  I wondered if the Botox had seeped into her bloodstream.

  “Shannon? Hello?” I said, waving my hand toward her face.

  This time, she did a double take when she registered who I was. “My god. Warren?”

  “In the flesh.”

  Her eyes doubled, and she crossed the room, moving Iliana out of her way. Shannon grabbed my face and studied it. “Goodness, what’s your secret?”

  “My secret?”

  “You haven’t aged a day!”

  Shannon couldn’t say as much about herself. The skin of her face seemed to have been pulled back with the strength of gravity, and concealer, a shade too light, was caked under her eyes.

  Iliana had stumbled into Jett, and he was holding her arm. “He’s been stuck in Hell, Shannon,” she said.

  Shannon dropped her hands. “Haven’t we all, honey?”

  “Are you living here now?” I asked.

  “Oh no, but one of the thugs who works here came and picked us up a couple of days ago. He forced us to come.”

  “Forced you?” Jett said, his voice laced with doubt.

  “He was very insistent,” she snapped. “Said there was trouble again. Is Nico part of it? He’d better not be…”

  Behind her, Jett rolled his eyes. “Rogan isn’t even here.”

  Iliana took a step toward her. “Nico is fine. You being here is just a precaution until things settle down.”

  “What things? Where’s Sloan?” Shannon whirled around like Sloan might be hiding in a corner.

  “She’s with Adrianne,” I said.

  Shannon’s head snapped back with so much force she could have fractured a vertebra. “Adrianne Marx?” She twisted Adrianne’s last name like it tasted bad in her mouth.

  I chuckled. Some things were as constant as the rising and
setting of the sun.

  “Yes. She and Nathan are at Adrianne’s beach house,” Jett said.

  “Beach house? Sloan’s at a beach house while I’m stuck in this dump. We don’t even have any power upstairs!” Midrant, Shannon’s eyes drifted past me and settled on Cassiel. They widened with shock, like she hadn’t even noticed her before. “What’s going on with Angel Barbie?”

  Oh, I bet Cassiel loved that nickname.

  “She’s sick,” Iliana said.

  Shannon wagged her finger at all of us. “But Nico told me you guys can’t get sick.”

  I shook my head. “We can’t, yet here we are. Obviously, we don’t know exactly what we’re up against right now. So we need you to stay close so we can keep you safe.”

  “Keep me safe?” She pointed at the bed. “Looks like you can’t even keep yourselves safe.”

  Iliana sandwiched Shannon’s hand between her own. “Nico would want you to wait here until he returns.”

  I wasn’t so sure about that.

  But it seemed to be the magic words Shannon needed. “He’ll worry if we’re at home?”

  No.

  “Yes.” Iliana pulled Shannon’s hand closer to her heart. “You don’t want to make Nico worry.”

  Shannon’s eyes were glazed over. Iliana had her under some kind of spell. Angels of Life were a tricky bunch.

  “OK.” Shannon gave a singsong sigh. “We’ll wait. Is there anything I can do to help her?” She glanced toward Cassiel.

  “Know any good doctors who could treat an angel without asking too many questions?” I asked without too much thought.

  “Yes.”

  My eyes darted toward her. “What?”

  “Dr. Swain has been treating Nico since his incident. She’s become a close friend of the family.”

  The “incident” would have been Rogan’s kidnapping.

  Iliana looked up at me. “He was really sick when we got him back.”

  “I guess this is why,” I said, nodding toward Cassiel. “Was the doctor able to make Nico better?” I asked Shannon.

  “Honestly, I think Iliana helped him most, but Dr. Swain is a fine physician.”

  “Can you call her?” Iliana asked.

  Shannon held up her hands. “Not from inside this fortress.”

  “Jett, take Shannon to the lobby. Tell Kane she needs to use a phone A-sap,” I said.

  With a nod, Jett walked to the door.

  “Hold on! What do I tell her? Doctors don’t just make house calls anymore,” Shannon said.