Broken Faith: Spiritual Discord, 1

by Brandy Nacole

  I make my way to the door, looking back to see fear still lacing Emma and Briston’s expression.

  “I am going to scout the area. See if I can pinpoint where the hounds are. My plan is to get them out of hiding to do a little scouting themselves. This will allow us to move Kayson without them watching. I’ll be back within an hour.”

  I leave the two to dwell on their own fears as I go out to face mine. If I am going to pull this off, I am going to have to be smart.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Sabrina

  I creep through the shadows, following the stink trail the hounds leave behind. I know there are more than one, but if I can find one, I will find them all. When I pass Emma’s neighbors’ home, I can smell the hounds all over it. Trails lead to and from the yard in every direction. I don’t know which path to follow until I pick up on one that is fresh and particularly repulsive. This is a common sign that there is more than one traveling the same path.

  The trail splits soon after it starts. One track leads left, the other one, right. I follow the one that leads into town. I try sticking to the darkness as much as I can. I don’t want the authorities or the hounds seeing me. Even if the authorities did see me, they probably won’t recognize me. The one police officer who caught a glimpse of me when I first came to town would not see the girl he bumped into that night. That night I had been torn and battered from living so long in the woods, and Kayson’s blood had coated my torn clothing. Now I’m in fresh clothes and my hair isn’t caked with dirt.

  I spin in haste when the bushes behind me rustle. I’m unsure of where the other hound is. That thought has plagued me ever since the trail split. If that hound doubles back to come find his friend, he’s probably going to find me first.

  But when I see nothing out of the ordinary and smell nothing to alert me, I move on. I’m hoping it’s just the wind. I didn’t like following these hounds around to locate them. This goes against every rule of self-preservation. Number one rule on my list: run in the opposite direction. And here I am following a hound’s trail in order to catch up to him.

  I walk past the pharmacy I broke into two nights ago. The lights are out and the store is dark just like that night. Past the pharmacy are the post office and police station. As I’m walking by the police station, I wrap my jacket around me tighter. Emma insisted I wear it to look normal, though who I need to look normal for is a question I can’t answer. I don’t exactly plan on stopping and having a chit-chat with anyone. Nor do I plan on being seen by anyone for that matter. I shiver as if I’m cold and tuck my chin against my chest. This helps me keep my head low without looking suspicious, just in case anyone is peaking out the window.

  I keep walking, repeating my shivering act here and there, though not once do I run into anyone. Everyone seems to be staying in on this cold night. Little do they know that is a smart move. Or do even the limited senses of the humans feel the danger in the air? I don’t even know how this night will end. Heaven and Hell could very well explode into open warfare in the streets of this small town. I’m hoping that doesn’t happen, but one never knows what lies around the bend.

  As the trail I’m following leads out of town, I see an old mill of some kind up ahead. The old millhouse is three stories high, with almost every window shattered. The rusty metal roof is completely rusted out in spots. Why would the hell hounds be coming out here? There are no humans to prey on, nor can they watch our activity. I’m all for seclusion myself, but this seems a little out of the way for a hound.

  I continue to follow the trail with careful steps. An owl hoots from deep within the woods, making me jump. Something isn’t right. The moment I decide to turn back, the strong whiff of the hound’s stench encircles me. The aroma is thick, completely surrounding me. My body goes stiff when I realize I’m walking into a trap.

  Finally listening to my instincts, I turn to run. When I do, I see glowing amber eyes in the darkness, stalking my way. The hound’s stench is now overpowering. It’s all around me. I know without turning around that another one lurks behind me. Panic filters through my veins. I have to get away. If I don’t, they will certainly get Kayson and Emma. A plan starts forming in my mind. Without warning, I bolt hard to my right to escape through the woods. But it’s too late.

  The hound behind me reaches out and grabs me. He’s closer than I thought. Fear grips me as I try to break out of his grasp. This is it. I am going to die without knowing if Kayson got away. I’ll never know if he proves the universe wrong.

  The hound twists me around to face him. “I don’t think we have properly met. I’m Emery.” Emery smiles a toothy grin. His canine fangs are partially extended, filling his mouth. I can hardly understand his words as he speaks. “My Alpha will be pleased to meet you.”

  I’m sure. I can just picture him sinking his infectious fangs into my skin, killing me in their cowardly way. Hounds were created to kill Lucifer’s original blood children, and while their claws have no effect on us besides inflicting injury, their fangs are deadly. They are filled with poisonous venom that can kill a blood child with a single bite. The worst part of being bitten is the pain the wounded suffer. It can take days for the venom to kill a blood child if the hound decides not to kill us instantly. I have heard plenty of stories about the immobile state you’re left in, while blood exudes from every pore in your body as burning pain creeps through your veins. It is the easiest way for a hound to kill a blood child. And in my opinion, the shallowest.

  I push with all my strength against Emery, but it’s of no use. The hounds are strong, even in human form. I kick out and thrust my knee into his gut. A small growl rumbles through his chest. His eyes begin to glow and I know he’s itching to release his demon form.

  With a quick move, the hound places both hands on the side of my head. I have a moment to realize he isn’t going to kill me. It’s clear they have other plans for me. Why else keep me alive? I think about Kayson. For the first time in a century, I say a small prayer—for him. The last word that crosses my mind as the hound breaks my neck is, “Amen.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  Emma

  I pace back and forth in the living room, nervous of what’s to come. This has to be the worst feeling in the world. The uncertainty of where fate will carry you, and it being out of your hands. I can only hope that our fate will be tipped in favor of a positive outcome, rather than a bad one.

  Briston comes walking out of the kitchen carrying two cups of chamomile tea when we hear someone urgently knocking on the front door. I look at the door in horror. Now what? Briston hurries to put the tea down before rushing to the door to answer it.

  When Briston opens the door, I’m startled to see Officer Beckett. Great! I release the breath I’m holding, but my heart beat continues to race. Officer Beckett is normally found at the station ordering around the other deputies, while he sits on his tail watching the Outdoor channel. He’s been next in line to be sergeant since his dad is chief. The Becketts have run the police station in Steely Hollow for five generations, but Stanley Beckett is the lazy one of the bunch. That’s probably why his father has been reluctant to retire. At seventy-two, Chief Beckett deserves a break, but I’m sure he’s worried about turning the reins over to Lazy Stanley. Officer Beckett being here means one of two things. One, his dad ordered him to go. Two, this is something big and he wants to be rewarded for being in charge.

  Officer Beckett clears his throat and offers a polite nod. “Mr. Davis, Ms. Moss, sorry to disturb you, but I received a call about some suspicious activity.”

  Briston turns his head slightly to look at me. His eyes are wide as he waits for me to come up with an answer. Why is he leaving it to me to answer Beckett? He knows I’m a terrible liar. I stall for time to think.

  “Who reported suspicious activity?”

  According to Sabrina, Mrs. Porter is being held captive in her own home. If she had been able to get to a phone to call the police, it would be to report a break-in, not suspicious acti
vity. I can only hope she is okay. Mrs. Porter is the eyes and ears of the neighborhood. With her being out of the picture right now, who else would have called in?

  “Mr. and Mrs. Moore.”

  That comes as a shock. Mr. and Mrs. Moore live two blocks down from Mrs. Porter. They tend to stick to themselves and ignore everyone else around them. I know they don’t like Mrs. Porter because of her nosiness. It’s surprising to hear they are stepping up in her place.

  “They got worried about Mrs. Porter because they haven’t seen her today.” Officer Beckett chuckles. “You know how Mrs. Porter is. Always out and about to get a good look at the neighbors. I’ll never forget the time she walked out in the snow and ice—with a broken hip no less—just to see what the Carter’s where arguing about.”

  While Officer Beckett gets lost down memory lane, I eye Briston. His hand is gripping the doorknob tightly as he stares at me. My heart rate picks up and my stomach flutters when his intense hazel eyes meet mine. I narrow my eyes, disagreeing with his thoughts. I know Briston. I know what he’s thinking. This is his chance to tell Officer Beckett the truth to save me, even if it means we are labeled as crazy. He is desperate to protect me.

  I shake my head slightly at Briston, then chuckle so Officer Beckett thinks I’m following his story.

  “Mrs. Porter is a character. Have you checked on her?” I said it, though I feared for anyone who went knocking on that door right now. Would the hounds take more prisoners until they got what they wanted?

  “I did,” Beckett replies. “Her nice nephew told me that Mrs. Porter was in bed for the night. She’s been feeling a little under the weather today.”

  Nice nephew my butt. Of course the villain would act all nice and cool when trying to keep his cover.

  Officer Beckett glances back and forth between us. “Mr. and Mrs. Moore said that a strange girl was prowling around on the streets. Did either of you happen to see anything?”

  Briston gives me another encouraging look, hoping that I will choose to ask for help from the authorities. With a pang of guilt about letting his hopes down, I answer Officer Beckett. “Nope. It’s been rather quiet around here.”

  Officer Beckett gives me a calculating look. He does the same with Briston, who half-heartedly smiles at Beckett. I’m not worried that Beckett will be able to tell anything by appearances. If he could, he would have known something was up with Mrs. Porter’s so-called nice nephew. He couldn’t be more off.

  “Alright then. If you happen to see anything give us a call. I’m sure you heard of the mysterious girl that wondered into town a few nights ago. That same night the pharmacy had a break-in. The suspect is still at large and could be the same girl lurking around your neighborhood. Make sure you keep your doors locked.”

  Unlike many of my friends and neighbors, I’m not tuned in on the gossip wire. This is the first I’m hearing about the break-in. There’s no doubt in my mind that Sabrina did it. Where else would she have gotten bandages for Kayson? I never questioned it before, but there have been bigger issues to deal with than stolen band aids.

  “Will do sir, thank you.”

  Briston closes the door as Beckett walks away. He watches out the window as Beckett backs out the driveway, using his spotlight to scope the neighborhood. Once his cruiser is around the block, Briston swivels around to face me.

  “Why didn’t you tell him?” Briston asks me with a little hostility.

  I throw my hands up. “We’ve already talked about this, B. I’m not turning Kayson over to the authorities. They would take him apart piece by piece, and I won’t be part of that. The true villains, the ones who need to be thrown in jail and who have Mrs. Porter locked in her home, are the ones who need to be reported. But you know what Briston, that’s not going to happen. They’re hell hounds, B, remember? And the only authorities who can stop them are the higher authorities. The Angels. So to stop them, we have to help Kayson. I know it sucks, but we have no other choice.”

  I start to turn from Briston, but he grabs me.

  He pulls me into his arms, wrapping me in a protective hug. “I know, I know, I’m just freaking out here, Em. I want to protect you. I lo-” Briston goes rigid. So do I. Briston and I have told each other we loved one another before, but this time it was different. It wasn’t the ‘I love you’ of a friend. This held a different passion, more meaning and depth.

  I pull back from his arms to look into his eyes. Fear fills his eyes and his jaw is tight. His chest rises heavily as I look up at him. I want to say something. I want to erase that fear in his eyes. But nothing comes to mind. I don’t even know how I feel myself. Briston is my best friend, almost a brother. Can I erase that brotherly affection I feel for him and replace it with the feelings of a romantic relationship?

  We stand there for a moment, looking at one another as our chests rise in rhythm together. I decide to pull away, to break this trance. As I start to back away, Briston pulls me to him once again, unwilling to let me go.

  He shakes his head, “No.” My chest is tight as he brushes my hair away from my face. With an intensity that brings tears to my eyes, he says. “I love you, Emma. I’ve always loved you. You are my best friend, my partner in crime. It’s killing me to see your life in danger. I will do anything, anything, to keep you safe. Even if that means turning over the angel.” A tear falls down my cheek, which Briston instantly wipes away.

  In that moment, wrapped in his arms, with a surge of heat spreading through my body, I know there is no doubt that I can love him as more than a friend. His touch brings my deeper feelings to the surface. Never has Briston held me, looked at me, or had so much love in his voice before. This one move, this one intense moment has brought out everything that is hidden deep within my soul. A feeling I have ignored because of my fierce protection of our friendship, is revealed.

  There is no place on this earth that I feel safer than in Briston’s arms. There is no other person I have ever wanted by my side for the rest of my life. I have always pictured Briston being there, but never as anything more than a friend. Now I realize how stupid that was. Even when I was out with other guys, Briston was always on my mind. I should have realized all this before, especially after we spent so much time apart. All those nights I spent lying in bed wondering what he was doing. All those times I ran to him instead of Braylee or Harper, to cry on his shoulder. Briston is and has always been my rock. He is the one person I can’t let go.

  I bite my lip, nervous. My gaze lowers to his rising chest that hides his rapidly beating heart. I want to say something. I want to let him know I feel the same way. But I’m still afraid. There’s that fear that every person has about dating their best friend. What if something happens and I lose him forever? I don’t want to lose Briston, ever. But what if my fear of accepting his love pushes him away. I feel like I am hanging in limbo. Should I follow my heart or listen to my mind?

  Briston tips my head back up. I look up at him through hooded lashes. I can see the fear of my rejection in his eyes. Another tear falls. I open myself up and speak with my eyes. I know he can see the fear I feel. He’s always been able to tell what I’m feeling or thinking. My soul guides me, leading me to say the words that ring true in my heart.

  “I love you too, B.”

  Briston pulls me tighter against him. Our lips meet. My mind blanks and all I can feel is the open love Briston is sharing with me. His hands grasp me, one against my lower back, holding me tightly against him. The other travels up my back until he is holding my neck, grasping my hair, gently. I am lost in his kiss. In that single moment, it’s me and Briston, together as we should have always been. Heat radiates between us. I picture a swirl of fire encompassing our bodies.

  When he pulls back, a new light seems to shine in his eyes. This has to be the happiest I have ever seen Briston. It’s like there’s a new light in his life and he is ready to follow it. This is the look of a dream come true. I can feel the same goofy expression on my own face.

  Briston becom
es fierce again. “I promise you, Em, I will protect you. I will go along with whatever you want to do to help the angel. But the first sign of danger, we are out of there.”

  I wrap my arms around Briston, pulling him into a hug. I don’t want to think about the danger, the life changing events that have fallen into our lives. I just want to live in this moment, right here, right now.

  As I’m hugging Briston, I notice a glow coming from the corner of the room. When I look closely, I see that it’s the sword. The hilt is glowing a bright gold and the wings encrusted on it are shining brightly. I pull back and point the sword out to Briston. We both stand there, staring at the unearthly sword.

  “What do you think it means?” I ask quietly, afraid that any sudden movement or disturbance will make the sword lash out or something. I mean if it can glow, what else can it do?

  Briston appears to be thinking the same thing. He keeps his voice low, “I don’t know. What time is it?”

  I glance over at the clock. “It’s nine. Sabrina left over an hour ago. Where is she?”

  Briston shakes his head in answer, and slowly walks over to sword. He cautiously stretches out his hand, which I can see is shaking.

  “What are you doing?” I ask, frightened.

  “I’m going to see what happens if I touch it.” Briston continues to stretch his hand out slowly.

  “Briston don’t. What if it, I don’t know, sucks you inside?”

  Briston stops to give me a dubious look.

  “What? It could happen. Don’t you remember Poltergeist? The little girl got sucked into the television.”

  Briston looks at me like I’m an idiot. “That was a movie. I don’t see any camera crews around, do you?”