Broken Faith: Spiritual Discord, 1

by Brandy Nacole

  Briston sets his bowl down on the coffee table. “Oh no, you are not turning this conversation back on me. Spill it.” I sit my own bowl of deliciousness down on the end table.

  I pull my legs up and wrap my arms around them as I rock softly back and forth in the chair. “What do you think about Heaven and Hell?”

  Briston’s brows draw together. The dumbfounded look he gives me tells me this is not where he expected this to go.

  “Why are you suddenly interested in Heaven and Hell?”

  “I don’t know, just curious. On another curious point, what did you think was wrong when you came here?” My question makes Briston wiggle in his seat.

  “Well, I thought maybe it was about some guy.”

  The way Briston says guy startles me. He says it with a tone of questioning but a little jealousy too. What is up with that? I don’t date a lot but the few guys I have dated weren’t bad. In fact, Briston seemed to like most of them. Even when things ended with those guys, Briston was there for me, and stayed friends with them.

  “Or maybe that you were having another bad day, you know with how things have turned out.”

  “B, you know there’s no guy. Heck, I don’t have time for a guy right now.” Briston nods, as if reassuring himself, before clearing his throat.

  “Anyway, Heaven and Hell, huh? I guess I never really thought about it. I mean, in my mind I know what it is and that somewhere it exists because that’s what we’ve been taught but I don’t know. Are you asking if I believe in them?”

  “Yeah.” I bite the inside of my lip out of nervousness. It seems his opinion on the subject is more important than I thought.

  “Well, yeah I guess. It would be kind of a bleak world if I didn’t.” Briston narrows his eyes, giving me a skeptical look. “Why?”

  “Just wondering.”

  “Bull. There’s more to it than that.”

  How to explain. “I don’t know, it just seems exaggerated. Think about it, angels with wings, demons who inflict sin, a God with unlimited love who has crazy amounts of power, and Lucifer with all his evil, hate, and other nasty attributes. It’s hard to believe in something you can’t see.”

  “You can’t see ghost and you believe in them—or well, you let one scare the crap out of you.”

  I roll my eyes, tilting back my head, as a blush spreads across my face. “I did not.”

  “Yeah, the screams and the near-death panic you felt were definitely all fake.” We bust out laughing as we think back to that night we spent at Hollow Cabin. The cabin is off-limits, with big “No Trespassing” signs littering the pathway up to the front door. It sits on the edge of the National Forest, bedded up against a small creek that runs along the mountainside. One look at it, most anyone would walk away from its peeled paint, broken windows, and rotten foundation, but not us.

  Braylee, Harper, Chase, Briston, and I all embarked on this super-exciting quest to check the cabin out. Legend has it that an old couple who had traveled all over the state looking for gold, stumbled upon the discovery of a life time. They found a spot in the creek where gold was supposed to be bubbling up out of the ground. They built a house by the creek and started panning it out in hopes of striking it rich.

  One day, a group of travelers stopped by to see if the old couple had heard of any leads on the gold trail. The old couple became nervous and killed them all. They buried their bodies deep in the forest away from their fortune. The couple then became very protective of their land and would threaten anyone who crossed onto their property.

  No one really knows what happened to the old couple or how they died. I assume it was from old age. The thing that everyone does seem to believe is that the old couple still protects their found fortune by haunting the property. The stories started when the city went in to tear down the cabin. Two workers were severely injured and their machines would quit working for no reason. Then a few years later, a hunter was walking past the cabin when he tripped and shot himself in the leg. Other accidents have happened over the years, and everyone is sure that it’s the old couple.

  The night we went up to the cabin, we had been foolish to think that the story wasn’t real. I remember walking through the shabby remains with an eerie feeling. That feeling stayed with us as we walked out of the cabin and toward the creek. The old couple had done a great job with their panning system. The trays and sifting tables were all still neatly arranged beside the creek, relatively unharmed by the weather or time. As we were inspecting the tools, things started to happen. Shapes and forms started looking ominous, and the chill of the night became a glacial cold. I had determined I was imagining things out of fear until a silhouette in the shape of a human formed beside the creek. Trees started to sway from side to side and the leaves on the ground were blown around by a strange but powerful wind. Trust me when I say, I wasn’t the only one scared out of my wits.

  “Hey, you screamed too.”

  With a smile that brings out his dimples, Briston says, “I never said I didn’t. The point is, you can’t see ghosts but you believe in them.”

  I hate when Briston tries to make a point, because he’s usually right.

  “Come on, Em, what brought all this on?” Briston stands and comes to kneel down in front of me. “Why won’t you tell me? You know you can tell me anything.” Briston looks at me with a little hurt in his eyes at my resistance.

  That hurt breaks me. I decide to play the card Kayson played on me earlier. “Fine, but hear me out to the end, and don’t judge me or call me crazy until I’m finished.”

  Briston gives me the old boy scout salute. “I promise.”

  I take in a deep breath, hold it for a few seconds, then let it go with an explanation following on its tails. “When I got here today, everything was fine. I watered the plants in the house before going out in the backyard. I was surprised to find the newly-improved garden in the back that demanded more than a watering can. So, I went out to the shed to find the hose but when I opened the door, I found something I really never would have expected.”

  Apprehension overtakes Briston’s face. “Was it your brother? Is he back?”

  “No.” I say a little disgruntled. “Although, I think I would have rather found him than what I did find.”

  With impatience in his voice, Briston urges me on. “Well, what was it?”

  “Well, first off, I noticed the door lock was broke. I thought it was Tate, so I got one of mom’s gnomes and broke through the door. But when it opened, Tate wasn’t in there. It was—” I’m cut off by the loud chiming of the doorbell that fills the silent house.

  “Did you tell the others we’re here?” I ask.

  Briston shakes his head. “No.”

  We both turn to look at the door. Uneasiness settles over me as I stand up. Who could it be? Whoever it is, my gut doesn’t like. I feel like I should run. Instead, I reach for the doorknob.

  Chapter Nine

  Sabrina

  As night falls, a sense of foreboding overwhelms me. The urge to run away and leave the angel behind storms my mind. I don’t belong here. I sure don’t want to help a fallen angel, who seems to warm up to humans a lot better than me anyway. He has the human girl now, she can help him.

  So why am I staying? I did what I told the angel I would do; I found him shelter. I never said I would sit around and fret over him. So what is keeping me here? I know without a doubt what part of the reason is, although I don’t want to admit it. Admitting that I was lonely and found comfort with finally having someone to speak with is a sign of weakness I can’t afford. I shouldn’t care. I shouldn’t want to help Kayson. And now that he has his new pet, I should be following my instinct and run.

  A bitter taste explodes in my mouth as I think about that brown-haired little twit coming in here and calling me a liar. I could sympathize with someone not believing if they had no evidence, but her? She had all the evidence anyone could need. If she didn’t want to believe that Kayson’s scars were from his wings being ripped
out, that’s fine. But gold blood? Who could argue against that? And what about my fangs? To think I even damaged myself, letting my skin catch on fire just to prove our story. And for what? She still refused to get it!

  The girl had been lucky that I let her go. Even with Kayson’s blood in my system, I haven’t had the pleasure of fresh human blood in a long time. The temptation had been powerful. The girl would be dead if it was not for her guardian angel Kayson intervening.

  I shake my head. She is a stupid narrow-minded human that wouldn’t know reality if it bit her in the face—and I had basically tried that as well. Kayson was sure happy enough chumming it up with her, though. He had no reservations in telling her about the angels and demons. He seemed quite pleased to be telling his story. Especially to a girl that seemed to fancy him. What was I needed for? His shield? Someone to throw to the hounds while the others escaped with their lives?

  “Sabrina?” Kayson calls my name questioningly.

  I don’t want to answer him, I don’t. But what if he’s dying?

  “I’m here.”

  Why? Why was I answering him?

  “Can you get me some water?”

  Oh sure, why don’t I just fetch you some water like a good little pet. Maybe if the human girl Emma comes back you can tell her more of your history. Don’t mind me pal, I’m clearly not good enough to hear your heavenly praise stories.

  “Sure.”

  I get up and bang around the “refrigerator” and retrieve the jug of water. Slamming a cup down, I pour the water in an angrily fit. After topping it off, I shove the jug back in the refrigerator and slam the door. “Here.” I hold the cup out but stare at the painting above Kayson’s head. It’s a nice painting of an owl done in soft colors, but edged with shadows. The owl’s eyes gleam through the darkness as it watches for prey deep below on the forest floor. Hmm, sounds familiar.

  “Thank you, Sabrina.” Kayson takes the cup but before he takes a drink, he looks up at me with concern. “Is everything okay?”

  Uh, no.

  “Yes. I need to leave though. Will you be alright?” I’m sure Emma can tend to him if he needs something.

  “Where are you going?” The amount of worry and speculation lacing Kayson’s voice, stings. Where did he think I was going, to slaughter the town? That’s probably what he thinks. That’s what we blood children do, right? Suck the life out of the living. That’s why everyone hunts us.

  “I need to do some scouting, find a new place. That is if you still want to leave this place.” With Emma agreeing to let us stay, Kayson might have changed his mind. “Plus, I do need a snack.”

  “Here, take another drop of my blood. It sustains you better than a hundred animals combined.” Kayson holds out his hand, offering me his blood.

  “I better not. I could become addicted to the feel and taste.” I say that like I can’t already feel the desire inside, to taste just one more drop. That was the last thing I needed, well second to the last. Hell hounds were the first thing on my “Not Needed” list.

  “If you do, I will help you.”

  Why is he trying to be so nice to me? I know I saved his life, but his distrust in me is very apparent. When I ask him anything about his life, he shuts down.

  “There is no need to feel obliged to help me just because I saved you. It was my choice to do so.”

  “I’m not offering because you saved my life.” Kayson blue eyes are soft and tender as he offers me his hand once again.

  Temptation over takes my senses. The rush, the feel, and the utter fullness of life that I experienced from the drop of Kayson’s blood the night before was thrilling. I want to feel that again, to come close to life once again. My anger at him is defused as the temptation drives me into taking his warm hand in my cold one.

  “Are you sure?” I ask.

  A small smile spreads across Kayson’s face. “Positive.”

  With no further delay, I bring Kayson’s finger up to my mouth and prick it with my fang, eager for the rush. I lick the tiny pearl of blood off his finger, careful not to take any more than one drop. The jolt of energy and life that spreads through my body brings a pleased sigh to my lips.

  “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” Kayson takes his hand back, applying pressure for just a moment to where I tore at his skin. “To answer your earlier question, yes I do think we need to leave this place. There’s no need to be dragging the wrath of the hounds onto some poor defenseless human.”

  My anger over the human girl boils back to the surface. “I’m sure she will be fine once we leave. She doesn’t believe us, anyway.”

  “Why are you so bitter, Sabrina? It is a lot for a human to understand and accept.”

  I ignore his question. I don’t know why I’m bitter, other than the fact that he seems to be able to confide in her, rather than me. I understand where she doesn’t, but he doesn’t seem to see that.

  “I’m going to go scout for a new place to stay. This seems like a close-knit town. It may take me some time.”

  “You are coming back, right?”

  I’m stunned by Kayson’s sudden worry over whether or not I will return. Angels have always had a certain reserve when it comes to the blood children. They have never wanted anything to do with us, even after they have fallen. I assume that once he is better, Kayson will be happy to get rid of me as soon as possible, no matter how much danger he’s in.

  “I will, this time.” I leave the rest unspoken. My plan still stands to leave him as soon as I find him a proper place to stay.

  “Be careful, Sabrina. We don’t know where the hounds are, or what they know.”

  The soft plea would have made my body flare with heat, while my eyes stung from the prickles of forming tears if I were still human. Instead, my body remains chilled with ice-cold non-beating life.

  I nod my head with a grim smile before retreating to the door. I know the hounds are probably somewhere near; all the more reason to find a better shelter. But the thought of them finding me brings dread to my thoughts. I could be killed because of him, and even knowing that doesn’t push me away. Instead, I’m determined to find him a safe place to stay before leaving him on his own. Why am I continuing to risk my butt for this angel?

  Just before I release the lock, a light flickers across the wall through the small holes in the wall and door. I peak through the biggest hole in the wall and see another vehicle sitting next to the human girl’s small white car.

  My body tenses as I see a boy run up onto the porch and disappear inside. I whirl around to face Kayson. “We have to stop her. She’s telling her friends about us.”

  Kayson sits up a little straighter; a wince passes across his face. “What do you mean, Sabrina? What friends?”

  “A human boy just rushed into the house, he must know something. Anxiety was written across his face and showed in his body language. She must have told him something to have him rushing to her like that.”

  “We don’t know that, Sabrina. You must learn to control yourself a little better. We can’t go slaughtering people who have done nothing wrong. That boy could be eager to see her just because he loves her or cares for her. You must get all the facts before accusing someone of something they knew nothing about.”

  Kayson’s words sting. I’m more than a century old. The way he is patronizing me like a child burns my already short fuse.

  “What would you know about facts? All you angels do is sit up on your high cloud condemning blood children like me, never stopping to consider that some of us were turned against our will. Never considering the pain and confliction we might have. Maybe not all bitten blood children are that way, but some of us are. Yet, you angels judge us all as evil. A creature that is just as heartless and evil as the born blood children.”

  Kayson’s own anger boils to the surface. “You know nothing about what the angels think or what I think, Sabrina. I never said you are heartless and evil, so don’t presume to put those words in my mouth.”r />
  We glare at each other, neither ready to back down. Kayson’s deep red face is a contrast to his normal pallor, and his breathing is rapid. My anger has me clenching my hands into fists. I can feel my fangs start to elongate at the sudden spike of anger. I retract them before they’re fully extended, and turn away from Kayson. Just as I’m about to fire back at him, another glare of light catches my eye.

  I rush to see where it’s coming from. Did the sweet Emma invite more of her friends over to hear the tale of vampires, fallen angels, and hell hounds? If she did, not much is going to keep me from storming in her house to sort things out.

  But when I look through the tiny peephole, I see that it’s not coming from her house but from the house next door. The lights of an expensive-looking luxury automobile die as two men get out of the car. My chest tightens. Fear submerges me. I’m in a dark, uncaring world. The world of my final death. A world that seems to be drawing closer to my already-half-devoured soul by the minute.

  “Sabrina, what’s wrong? Are you okay?” I can hear Kayson moving around behind me, but my vision continues to swarm in the dark abyss. I imagine what my future will be like in that abyss as nasty creatures crawl unseen from the darkness to latch onto my flesh and bones, tormenting my mind, never allowed rest, for all of eternity.

  “Sabrina, answer me.” Kayson’s voice rises with panic, bringing me back to the here and now of today, where I’m still alive in the light with no unseen monsters scavenging my remains.

  I swivel around with panic to face Kayson. “There are two hounds next door. They just got out of a car.” I keep my voice at a low whisper, which I then realize is ridiculous. The hounds will smell us before they hear us.

  Kayson’s colorless face looks at me in horror. “Sabrina, you have to run. Get as far away from Utah as you can. Don’t stop until the sun rises. When you do stop, find—”

  I throw up my hand to stop Kayson’s rambling. “What are you talking about, I’m not leaving.”

  “You have to. You still have a chance.”