Dream Angel (Angel #1)

by Jane West

  “Precisely.”

  “Holy cow!” Shock washed over me. “How is that even possible?”

  “I’m getting to that part.” Bane smiled. “As I was saying, once the blood contract solidified, Sara was locked into an infrangible agreement.”

  “A blood contract! What do you mean?”

  “A blood contract is no ordinary legal document. It is a contract under dark magick. Sara literally had to sign the contract in her blood.

  “Why blood?”

  “Blood magick is very powerful. After all, it is the source of life. Without it, one dies.”

  “Did Sara understand the agreement?”

  “Yes, but it didn't matter. Wealth was the deciding factor for her regardless of the consequences. Anything after that concept didn’t seem to concern her.”

  “I reckon the Family wanted to use Sara as a lab rat?”

  “I'm sorry but yes." He paused. "This wasn’t a normal in-vitro fertilization. Our doctors have been researching and running tons of trials. However, all have failed. Since Sara agreed to take the plunge, she was the first human to be tested. The doctors busied themselves getting everything perfect for the trial to be successful. With the art of technology under an environmentally controlled chamber, the scientist extracted DNA from your father, Jon, and extracted DNA from a celestial being. With help from the alien advancement, we were able to create a special sperm and inject it into a celestial egg. Once the embryo had developed to term, Dr. Ashor transferred the embryo into Sara’s womb.”

  “Oh, my God! Sara wasn’t kidding. She’s not my biological mother.”

  “You are correct.”

  “What the hell am I?”

  “You are amazing." Bane hesitated as if to soften the blow. "We refer to you as a genetically altered angel. We call you Dream Angel.”

  Shock swirled in my head. “I’m not human?” Despite how insane this all sounded, I had an innate feeling that Bane wasn’t kidding.

  “Not entirely. You are one-tenth human.”

  “Sara was okay with carrying a freak?”

  “There is nothing about you that is even close to an abomination.”

  “I think I’m pretty close to it.” On the outside, I seemed somewhat calm but on the inside, I was reeling. “All my life I'd been an outsider and now I know why. I’m a freaking freak!” I dropped my face into the palm of my hands, breathing so I wouldn't go into a panic frenzy. Geez!

  “Shall I stop?” One dark brow arched as Bane stared at me.

  “No. By all means, finish!” I hugged my waist, trying to hang on to my last thread of sanity.

  “Everything was going without a hitch. Sara was following the rules to a T. Jon was impervious to Sara’s lies, and her routine checkups on the surface looked like a normal pregnancy. The baby was growing as any healthy fetus. Then there was a complication.” Aidan’s lips tightened. “In Sara’s third trimester, the doctors detected her CBC count was off. They also noticed a difference in Sara’s behavior. The test revealed a change in her DNA. This surprised the doctors. No one saw it coming. The alien fetus infected her with a virus that altered her genetic makeup for an indefinite time. Since this was new, Dr. Ashor didn’t know if after the baby’s birth, the damage might reverse itself or if it was a permanent condition. Even though this was unexplored territory, Dr. Ashor suspected it was highly improbable.”

  “Is that why she’s ?” the word couldn’t pass my lips.

  “A sociopath? Partly.” He paused. “Which brings me to your father’s end.”

  I cringed, "My mom is ill because of me!" Tears welled in my eyes.

  Bane gathered my chin in his fingers. “You are not responsible for Sara's illness.” He tilted his head back and let out a frustrating groan. "Look," his eyes caught mine, "I didn't want to tell you this, but the infection only enhanced Sara's flaws. She wasn't a Samaritan before the affliction. So don't beat yourself up for her impropriety."

  “Sara said I ruined her life! At first, I didn't understand what she meant, but now that I do, it sucks. ”

  “Are you well? We can finish this another time.”

  “No! You can’t stop. Continue, please!” I nodded, giving him the go-ahead.

  “All right, I’ll continue.” Bane’s eyes washed over me as he furthered the story. “Still under contract after your birth, Sara had the responsibility to care for you. As your handler, she was to see to all your needs. Secretly keeping Jon out of the loop, the Family set up a bank account in Sara’s name. A very substantial cash flow.”

  “Wait! Sara, had money all these years? While Dad was alive and even after his death?” I gaped.

  “Yes. The Family provided well.”

  “She let me go without food! Hardly the basics of life.” My eyes rounded in shock. “That explains how she was able to collect all her expensive clothes. She told me she’d stolen the merchandise.”

  “Sara is a master of lies. She mishandled the money. That’s why Zak and his comrade came to your house that early hour. Sara had been gambling. She’d lost it all. Zak left her a message of warning, and that’s why she was running.

  “Jesus! That makes perfect since.” My eyes flickered to the forest, switching to my hands and then back to Bane. “She ran out of money. That explains why she was in such a tizzy to get me to Tangi. She wanted the rest of her money.” I gaped.

  “You’re correct. A clause in the contract states that upon your eighteen birthday, Sara is to relinquish you into my care. Once the transaction finalized, Sara would receive her final payment.”

  “You agreed to this?”

  An odd look glossed over Bane’s face. “One doesn’t argue with the Family. You simply do it.”

  “Wow! That’s very disturbing, to say the least.” My stomach knotted.

  “It is our way.”

  “I’d never stoop to such barbarity.”

  “Never say never, my love. When push comes to shove, instinct kicks in, and you will find yourself doing anything to survive.”

  It suddenly came to me about Van blackmailing Bane. Whatever he had done, it must be pretty dour.

  “Anyhow as the story unfolds, Sara was starting to slack in her duties. She was spending the money unwisely. Jon by accident stumbled upon her stash of expensive jewels and designer clothing hid in the basement. This set Jon into a fury, launching a full-blown investigation on Sara. In only a matter of days, Jon discovered an account in her name with a very generous cash flow.”

  “How much?” my brows dipped in ire.

  “Pardon?”

  “How much did my mother get?”

  “It was arranged in two installments. Half the money after your birth and the final payment when you were deposited.”

  “You still haven’t answered my question.”

  “Sara received twenty million.”

  “Wow!” I breathed harshly. “I can’t tell you how many times I’d missed meals because she claimed we were broke.” My eyes drifted to the fireflies for a moment then back to Bane. “Your money?”

  “No! The Family paid.”

  “Where is this mysterious Family?” Strangely, I’d never seen anyone except his uncle.

  “The Family stays in hiding from each other. The only time we gather is during emergencies. It is easier to keep our anonymity.”

  “Oh, I see.”

  “Back to the histories, it didn’t take Jon long to figure out that the Family was behind this. Angered by Sara’s betrayal, Jon confronted Sara over his findings. Of course, Sara denied having the account, claiming it had to be another Sara Ray. Jon was steps ahead of her. He’d had Sara tailed, confronting her with incriminating pictures. As expected, this prompted Jon demanding a divorce and custody of you. Sara knew Jon’s wily ways of the law, and she knew he’d have the upper hand. It wouldn’t be hard proving her as an unfit mother with all the truckers Sara had been keeping company with in town.”

  A new and unexpected pain surged through me. “Good God! I had no idea.”


  “You were a mere child then. How could you have known?” Bane reached over and caressed my back. “I’m sorry to inform you of the terrible accounts of Sara. However, it’s imperative that you know the truth.”

  I had to look away. “No, it’s okay.” I nodded. “Go on. Finish, please.” I straightened my shoulders and swallowed the lump.

  “I know this is a lot to digest at once.” He released a sharp sigh and continued. “Sara became paranoid that if Jon followed through with his threat, the Family might pull out of the contract leaving her penniless.”

  “There’s no silver lining to this story is there?”

  “It gets worse.” He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Sara sought out an undisclosed associate of the Family. As a supporter of the cause, he helped Sara. He materialized a car, saturated with dark enchantments. And, it was Sara driving the vehicle, ending your father’s life upon impact. Jon didn’t see her coming because the car was invisible.”

  My whole body went numb. It all made sense now! “That explains why the police couldn’t find any evidence. Oh my god!” I buried my face in my hands. The revelations of what Bane is revealing was so profound. I snapped my head up, glaring at Bane. “Did Zak help Sara kill my father?”

  “No. Zak and his companion merely advised Sara that even though Jon was dead, she still was under the contract, and she must comply. She’d been keeping company with a particularly shady character. The Family wanted her to understand they were watching and would not tolerate any foul behavior.”

  “That’s the reason we left that night. Sara's face had gone pale with terror. We’ve been running since. All this time, I thought it was her illness making her restless, but it was fear was the factor in this equation.” I inhaled a jagged breath.

  “Yes, Sara was trying to hide, but her efforts were futile. You both were tagged. The Family knew yours and Sara's every move.”

  “Tagged?” I didn't like the sound of that.

  “Yes. Implants. Tracking device.” Aidan spoke calmly.

  “That explains how Zak easily found me.” I caught his gaze. “Do I still have an implant?”

  “No! That dissolved the moment you came to live with me.”

  “Oh! So I can’t be tracked?”

  “Correct.” He faintly smiled. “You are under my protection. I do things differently.”

  I scoffed. “Like locking me up in my bedroom?”

  The muscle in Bane's jaw flinched. “If I'd told you not to wander the halls at night would you have listened?”

  “So, now what?” No point in answering him. We both knew I would not have paid mind to his asking. “Where do we go from here?”

  “I’m going to speak with the councilmen tonight.” Aidan sighed. “It’s Samhain or most know it as Halloween. I’m going to turn my Uncle in for treason. They may hold me accountable as well. Regardless of the outcome, I won’t allow my uncle to take your life.”

  “I don’t understand why he wants to end my life? Is it because I’m different?”

  “Remember I said you are a genetically altered angel?”

  “How could I forget?” I half laughed.

  “The purpose of your creation is to bridge the gap between life and death. Through you, we can create a world free from sickness and death. Even famine would be a thing of the past. We call it The New World Order.”

  “That sounds great, but I don’t see how one person can change an entire planet.”

  “It won’t be an overnight change. It would be up to you and me.” He paused. “Since we are a perfect match, our children would be immortal, never to face sickness or death. They would live their life as intended, humankind living in perfect harmony, never dying or growing old.”

  “So the Illuminati created me to fill the new world with healthy children with you?”

  “Yes, we are soulmates or for a better term spirit mates. Unlike humans, you don’t have a soul. You have an essence which makes you even more unique.”

  “The Family calls me Dream Angel, and I'm an angel?”

  “Yes, you're correct."

  “And we are spirit mates like made to be lovers?”

  “Yes.”

  “This sounds like normal teenage hormones?”

  Bane flashed a lopsided grin. “Our hearts are joined as one. Is that not proof enough?”

  I thought of Logan. Looking back, I didn’t feel this static charge like I had with Bane. And when Sam kissed me, I didn’t feel a thing. “I reckon we do have a connection,” I whispered.

  Bane took me into his arms and leaned in taking claim of my mouth. When he pulled back, his eyes appeared saddened. “I will never forget you. Even in my death.” And in the next breath, the glimmer in his eyes disappeared. “We have to get going. I have to be at the castle to meet with the council and confront Van.”

  “You're putting your life on the line for me?” I searched his eyes, terrified of the outcome.

  “I won’t let him harm you.”

  “If you reveal to the council that you had conspired with your uncle, they will kill you.”

  Bane’s jaw tensed. “I don’t see another way around it. Once the council is aware of my uncle’s scheme, they will arrest him, and you will be safe.”

  Before I could argue further, he pulled me to my feet and gathered me into his arms. “Hang on, Princess!” he smiled down at me as I shut my eyes tight. The whirling struck, stealing my breath but this time it didn’t seem as violent.

  Before I realized it, we were back on Saint Ann Street in front of Ms. Noel’s house by my car. The storm was fierce as ever. Lightning crackled across the dark sky as thunder rumbled, rain coming at us sideways.

  Bane pulled from his pocket something small and shiny. He clasped my hand, placing it in my palm and closing my fingers around it. His voice was loud over the hammering rain and hallowing wind. “I want you to have this in case I don’t make it. I’m sorry for my part in this tragedy. I wish we could’ve had more time together.” He gathered my chin into the palm of his hand. “You mean more to me than you’ll ever know, my love.” His blues danced with intensity.

  I opened my hand and saw a key. I jerked my gaze back to him, my brows collided, confused. “What is this?”

  “It belongs to a safety box at the Savings and Loan bank downtown. There are bonds. Enough money for you to live on for the rest of your life.”

  “Aidan, are you saying you’re going to die?”

  “Anything is possible. That’s why I want you to get the hell out of here. Don’t stop until you are far away from here. Do you understand me? No argument! I don’t want you anywhere near the castle. If Van sees you, he’ll kill you.”

  “Aidan, I can’t leave you to face that lousy uncle and his minions alone!” My throat ached for tears.

  “Baby girl, I am more than capable of taking care of myself. Trust me and go!” He bent his head to the side and kissed me, drawing me flushed against his lean body. I raked my hands through his black locks and kissed him back with just as much fervor. Rain coming off the two of us, but it didn't waver our trance.

  Then in the next instant, he’d vanished. He had left before I’d had a chance to stop him. I wanted to crumble to the ground, knowing that I may never see him again. I dropped to my knees as surging water gushed over me.

  I had to pull myself together and get out of sight. I stumbled to my feet, struggling against the rainwater pulverizing my body. I had to take shelter. With the relentless rain pounding me, I dove into the driver's seat of my car, quickly closing the door behind me.

  My fingers had gone numb as I fumbled with the key, jabbing it into the ignition. I paused, staring outside at the downpour pummeling everything in sight, the wind whipping the trees back and forth, the swelling drainage ditches. The water was collecting fast, and I was terrified. My car was small and light. It wouldn't take much to be swept away by the raging waters. I didn’t know what to do or where to go. Traveling in this storm was suicide.

&n
bsp; Chance of me escaping Bane’s uncle was slim to none. Then why run? Shouldn’t I stay and fight? Sam’s suggestion came to mind. Could he have been truthful? Was it possible that if Bane and I infused our powers together that we'd become invincible? No one could hurt us! I shook my head, laughing, on the verge of hysteria. If there were an ounce of truth to this theory, I had to act on it.

  Doused in a dark coating of weird, I believed this strange world existed and for some uncanny fate; I’d been brought into the folds of this calamity whether I was up for the challenge or not.

  Accepting that fact, I had to address the next imminent question did I want to be fettered to Aidan Bane Du Pont for the rest of my life? I reckoned, since both our lives were on the line, it was a small price to pay. The illogical was the logical. I had to find Bane before it was too late. I couldn’t stand by and let him die for nothing.

  I hastily turned the ignition. The motor churned but wouldn't roll over. The more I tried, the more my battery dragged. “Dammit!” I gritted my teeth muttering curses. I slammed my shoulders back into the seat and took a long breath, giving it a rest for a minute. Then I tried the ignition once more. This time, I got the clicking sounds of a dead motor. “Son of a bitch!” I pounded my fist against the steering. “Now what do I do!” Tears clouded my vision as I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand. “Of all nights my car had to stall!”

  I glimpsed out the window. Streaks of rain ran lined the windshield. Raging water surged on both sides of my little bug. I knew Saint Ann Street would soon swallow me up. In this neck of the woods, flooding was a common menace. The river was merciless during the rainy season, often water levels rose, flowing over inland and destroying everything in its path.

  If I stayed in the car, I’d drown.

  I had to get to Bane’s and pronto. How did I do this on foot? Then a light went off in my head. I spotted Francis’ car. I bit my bottom lip. Sara half the time left the keys in the ignition. A spark of hope lit the fire under my ass as I flew out of the car, fighting through the mud and raging water. I headed for his old Cadillac, 1975 tank. It might get me to Bane's castle. That was my theory.