Kindred of the Fallen

by Isis Rushdan

  “I wish I had known we were doing gifts.”

  “I wanted this to be a birthday gift, but open it now.”

  She put it down on the table and opened it. Inside were various metal pieces in satin-lined compartments. She examined them and realized it was a crossbow. Without delay, she assembled the pieces. It was made of a shiny metal and there were intricate etchings that gave it a feminine touch. It was much lighter and shorter than the one she used for practice.

  Cyrus sat and lifted the upper tray out of the case, revealing sixteen bolts. They each had a sharp, glistening tip and the shafts were made out of the same metal as her crossbow. He held one up. “It has a diamond tip and the stem is made of barenpetium like your crossbow.”

  She gave him a big hug and kiss. “I can’t believe you even got me ammo.”

  “There’s more.” He lifted the second tray. There were more bolts, but the heads were larger. “These are highly explosive incendiary bolts. It’ll stop any Kindred.”

  “You’re so romantic.”

  “I try,” he said playfully.

  She slipped her arms around his neck. “I can’t wait to marry you tomorrow.”

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  The bittersweet light of day brought a smile to Serenity’s face. It was her wedding day. And the last day of any part of her old life. She opened her eyes to see Cyrus gazing down at her. He ran his fingers along the bridge of her nose, across her cheek and down her lips to her chin. His kisses were soft and tender.

  She caressed his face and slid into the folds of his arms. Staring in his eyes, she rubbed noses. Then they lingered longer than they should have, curled together.

  Running late, they showered quickly and dressed in jeans and plain tops. Mrs. Carter had arrived early. Blueberry pancakes waited for them in the kitchen.

  Abbadon leaned against the fridge, eating an apple. He didn’t say a word when they entered the room. In fact, he didn’t even acknowledge their presence. Cyrus walked around the island on the side closest to the stove, where Mrs. Carter prepared the food for their wedding luncheon. Abbadon left the room from the opposite side without making eye contact.

  Their behavior unsettled her, but she wasn’t going to let anything detract from her joy.

  She finished her breakfast and kissed Cyrus on the cheek. “We have to swing by the tattoo studio. I need to take a quick appointment, then we can go to the Stamford city hall. I’m going to grab some art supplies from my room and I’ll be ready to go.”

  He nodded and put two more pancakes on his plate.

  Inside her room, she stuffed what she needed for the appointment at the tattoo studio in a bag. She wouldn’t have time to draw the usual eight by six, but she could knock out a detailed three by five, and then she’d marry the most perfect male in the world.

  She couldn’t stop grinning. Everything was wonderful—too wonderful. Like the unnatural calm in the middle of the storm, foreboding the worst yet to come. She tried to shake it off as paranoia, but her intuition demanded she prepare.

  Worrying about the unknown was self-defeating and she refused to do it. When she turned to leave, she saw Abbadon standing in the threshold.

  She slung the bag across her chest and walked right up to him. His probing gaze didn’t waver from her face. Silence stretched between them, sucking up the air in the room.

  Unable to bear it a second longer, she sidestepped to squeeze by him, but he blocked her path and stepped forward. Instinctively, her feet moved back and he shut the door.

  “Still determined to hang on to your humanity by going to the justice of the peace?”

  “Yes.” Her chin jutted up. “But first I’m going to my studio for one last appointment.”

  He crossed his arms. “No one told me. I only sent warriors to secure the city hall in Stamford.”

  “It’s no big deal. I’ll only be there an hour. We’re taking Spero and Micah with us.”

  “Let it go,” he said. His voice was soft and gentle.

  Her shoulders relaxed as her defenses lowered. “Let what go?”

  “Your ties to the human world. It would be for the best.”

  “What do you want, Abbadon? Why are we having this conversation?”

  Clasping his hands behind his back, he meandered across the room. He stopped in front of her portrait of Cyrus that rested on the easel. “The energy we receive from our kabashem is like a drug. More potent and intoxicating than anything the humans could imagine. The longer one is around it, the more one wants it, and eventually comes to believe they need it. I’m sure you’ve heard of human addicts who lost everything in pursuit of that unique feeling they could only get from a specific drug.”

  It was the first time he spoke to her without looking at her and she found it more disturbing than the anger he’d shown yesterday. “Why are you telling me this?”

  “My words are lost on him. I have no other recourse than to speak to you.” He faced her. “The love for one’s kabashem can cloud our judgment. It can encourage us to lose sight of what’s most important.”

  “What’s most important to you, you mean?”

  “No, what’s most important in the big scheme of things. This is a phrase you know, yes?” His voice wasn’t calm. It had a tone that slithered between frustration and disappointment.

  “Yes.”

  “It’s easy to live for yourself, when the only desires that count are your own or your kabashem’s. It’s tempting to believe you and your kabashem are the only ones that exist, and that your love for each other is all that matters.” His eyes hardened to a glare. “The collective…matters. Self-sacrifice for the greater good matters. The fate of future generations matters.”

  “I know how important this is and what it means for all Kindred. I care about the collective and House Herut.”

  “Prove it.” The sharp edge of his tone filleted her heart. “What love do you bear for Kindred?”

  She stared at him speechless.

  “Our plight will never change until we have the courage, the strength, to change ourselves. Put redemption and the needs of those who love you ahead of your personal desires. You can save our people from the misery of the dark veil and the devastation that always follows sangre saevitas. You and Cyrus are the greatest hope we have had in almost a thousand years. That counts for so much more than what you two share as a couple lost in the haze of love.”

  Abbadon stalked to the door. Holding the handle, he turned and speared her with his gaze. “Don’t take him from Herut. If you do, he shall never recover from it. We shall never recover from it.”

  He left the room, stealing her breath with him.

  Cyrus waited for her by the front door. She smiled, trying to give the appearance everything was all right as she walked down the stairs. She looked around at the warriors who had come to protect them.

  Their commitment to keep them safe was selfless and noble. Beset had given her life to keep Serenity alive. How many others would gladly do the same so she might live, so their people had a chance for redemption?

  Abbadon spoke intently to Spero, who nodded at everything he said. As Carin passed, he stopped her, giving more orders.

  In the car, Carin drove and Spero sat up front. Micah rode a motorcycle ahead.

  Salvation was the ghost of a promise she could not touch or feel, no more real than the memories of her mother, but the fidelity and love of the soldiers around her were real. It wasn’t only their desire for redemption that fueled their dedication, it was also love.

  The love they had for Cyrus.

  “What’s wrong?” Cyrus clutched Serenity’s hand. She’d been so quiet on the way into the city.

  She smiled. “Nothing.”

  “Are you nervous about getting married?”

  Her soft lips pressed against his and she squeezed his hand tighter. “Not at all.”

  Carin stopped in front of her building where the tattoo studio was located.

  “How much time will you need?”
Cyrus asked.

  “No more than an hour.”

  “Perfect. Spero and Micah will stay with you. I’m going to run an errand. I’ll be back before you’re finished.”

  She kissed him and hopped out. Spero instructed Micah to stay posted on the ground floor to look out for any potential threats, then he held the lobby door open for her and they disappeared inside.

  “Where to?” Carin asked.

  He’d found a platinum bracelet featuring a lotus flower with elegant filigree detail and pavé diamonds. He’d debated over whether or not to buy it. His mate’s taste ran simpler, but he knew she’d love it. “Off to pick up another wedding gift for my bride. Bulgari on Fifth Avenue.”

  Dougie hovered in the doorway of the office. One corner of his mouth lifted into a sidelong grin. “This will get us international recognition. Don’t fail me now.” He glanced down the hall and beckoned someone into the room.

  A woman with glossy peach lips and bouncy blonde curls sashayed into the office, trailed by a stud who had the kind of sex appeal that sold watches in ads. He smacked her on the butt and plopped into a chair. Drenched in expensive perfume, she pranced up to Serenity.

  She recognized the woman’s face from a movie poster, but the starlet’s name escaped her, which was a good thing.

  “Excuse me for not shaking,” Serenity said, smiling. “I’ll get a better reading if I don’t.”

  The starlet’s waxed brows contracted. “How does this work? I’m—”

  “It works best if we don’t speak. Please, have a seat and relax while I get centered.”

  The woman poured herself over her companion and draped her legs across the chair. Serenity closed her eyes and took a couple of deep breaths to clear her mind.

  The slurping of kisses pulled her attention back to the couple. The sooner she got to the business at hand, the sooner this spectacle would be over.

  She approached the film star. “Please, place your palm on mine.”

  Drawing her face from her lover’s, the woman slapped Serenity’s hand, but held it.

  An image ballooned in her mind: a winged dragon, tearing through a nettled husk, enveloped by lush petals. Brilliant streaks of teal, amaranth cerise, orange and pewter formed the dragon’s body.

  She dropped the woman’s hand and went to the desk, pulling out her supplies.

  Dougie waltzed back in with two drinks. “Scotch as requested.”

  Perfect timing. “Why don’t you show them the gallery of my artwork while I do the sketch? It’ll go faster.”

  The couple rose, swigging their drinks, and followed Dougie out of the office.

  In forty-five minutes, she had cranked out the sketch and filled in the colors. Not bad.

  “Serenity!”

  She jumped to her feet at the sound of the familiar voice. Evan?

  “Serenity!”

  Dougie rushed into the office. “Please get out here. The lawyer is making a scene in front of the clients. Your bodyguard wouldn’t let him through and when I told Evan you were getting hitched today, he lost it,” he said with a snicker.

  “It’s not funny.”

  “Actually, it really is. You were with that douche bag for how long? And now you’re marrying some guy you’ve only been banging for a month.”

  She glared at Dougie on her way out the room.

  “Hey,” he said, stopping her with a hand on her shoulder. “You were never meant to be with Evan. Even I know that. You’ve finally met the right guy, and I can’t blame you for not wasting any time. You deserve to be happy. Truly happy.”

  She gave his hand a quick squeeze and hurried down the hall. Spero held Evan back with one hand. Clean-shaven, he wore a suit and looked sane, not like the deranged man he’d been on the estate, holding a gun.

  “Let him go, Spero.”

  Evan walked toward her with Spero right on his heels.

  “I had to see you,” he said. “I’m so sorry about what happened that night. I had no idea what that crazy woman was going to do.”

  She stepped into the office and packed up her things. “Why were you with them to begin with? You don’t know how dangerous those people are.”

  “Artemis approached me when we broke up. Promised she could help me get you back, but she’s insane. I didn’t know she was going to kill anyone. You have to believe me.”

  Spero stood in the doorway, gaze locked on Evan.

  “I’m finally starting to piece my life back together since I washed my hands of those lunatics,” Evan said. “I needed to see you. When I called the shop to find out when your next appointment would be, Dougie said you were on your way here.”

  He looked at Spero and ran his hand over his slicked back hair. A telltale he was nervous.

  “Can I walk you out and maybe get a moment alone with you?”

  She reminded herself that he was a rational person, a lawyer for goodness sake, and family she loved who had cared for her for sixteen years.

  “Please. With everything that happened between us, I didn’t make partner. I could use someone to talk to. I hope we can still be friends,” he said with a pleading smile. “Just a few minutes alone. I don’t want to hold you up. We can talk as I walk you out. Please.”

  “Sure, of course.”

  They walked to the elevator.

  She handed Dougie the sketch for the starlet and the documents giving him full ownership of the studio.

  “I’m going to miss you,” he said, hugging her.

  She kissed his cheek. “Don’t worry. I’ll call to check up on you.”

  The elevator chimed and the doors opened. Dougie hurried off to the movie star.

  “I hear you’re getting married,” Evan said. “I take it you’re happy.”

  Averting her eyes from his face, she followed him into the elevator. “I am.”

  She held out her hand to stop Spero from getting on. After sixteen years and breaking up with Evan in such a public way, she owed him a moment alone.

  “Abbadon insisted that I stay glued to your side,” Spero said.

  “Abbadon is paranoid. Evan is just going to see me down to the lobby, less than two minutes in the elevator. I’ll wait for you there with Micah.” She and Evan had both made mistakes, but she could give him two minutes to say good-bye in private.

  The doors closed and the numbers on the elevator display slowly lowered from twenty.

  “I’m glad you still want to be friends. I can’t imagine not having you in my life,” he said.

  She smiled and hugged him. His body tensed so she let him go. Probably too soon for touching. Her gaze fell and she caught sight of his shoes.

  When did he start wearing steel-toed boots?

  The numbers dropped from thirteen to twelve, and Evan hit the button for the tenth floor.

  “What’s on ten?” she asked.

  His expression shifted into something bitter and hard she didn’t recognize. “I love you. I’ll always love you.”

  An eerie feeling prickled her as the elevator chimed and the doors opened. She froze.

  Stone, the heartless mercenary, closed in, holding a small, black box the size of a TV remote. He jammed it into her side and a painful jolt of electricity blasted her body.

  A scream strangled in her throat. Her body convulsed violently as she fell…elevator buttons, lights, Evan. Everything faded white.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Cyrus’s heart pounded, punching at his chest as Carin drove down the block toward Serenity’s building. One moment he sensed her panic, the next nothing, like she was gone. No emotion, no vague undulations of her energy stream. Nothing at all.

  They stopped at a red light.

  “I’m going on foot. Meet me there,” he said, flinging the door open.

  “What’s wrong?” Carin asked.

  He shook his head. “I can’t feel her anymore like she’s… Call Abbadon and the others. Tell them to get here right away.”

  He jumped out of the car and bolted down the
street. Two men wearing white jumpsuits, sunglasses and painters’ hats came through a service door pushing a white cart toward a van.

  Throwing the lobby door open, he collided into Spero. “Where is she?”

  “She got in the elevator, but Micah said she never got off.”

  Cyrus grabbed him by the collar. “What happened?”

  “Evan showed up. Asked to speak to her. She demanded to ride alone with him in the elevator.”

  “You left her alone with him?” He slammed Spero into a wall, cracking the tile. Raking his hands through his hair, he wheeled in a circle trying to think. Why couldn’t he feel her?

  His chest contracted. Sweat broke over his skin. His mind spun.

  The image of the painters pushing the cart flashed in his mind. One had a scar running down his cheek into a mustache. Fake.

  He ran outside and glanced around, searching for the van and the fucking mercs who had his mate. But there was no sign of them.

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Serenity’s eyes fluttered open to darkness. Her head was fuzzy, her breathing labored. Something sticky covered her mouth that kept her lips from moving, like tape. A dark hood covered her head, obstructing her sight.

  Her mouth was dry, face damp with sweat. Her hands and feet were bound. She was in something moving, a car or van. Voices cut through her groggy haze. Several male, one female.

  “We promised you that we’d make her safe,” a woman said in a comforting tone.

  “I know, but I don’t understand why this is necessary,” Evan said anxiously. “You didn’t say anything about this.”

  “It wasn’t a part of my original plan, but this decision came straight from the top.”

  “When will I get to meet Ravich?”

  “Once you’ve proven yourself to be loyal.” The woman’s voice was gentle.

  “This is more extreme than you led me to believe. I just want her back,” Evan said.

  “We’ll give her back to you, but she’s still going to be brainwashed. She’s going to do everything in her power to get back to Cyrus and those denizens of evil. We have to make sure she doesn’t help him propagate. We can’t allow any more spawn of the devil to be brought into this world. Once we get your little kitten fixed, you can take her.”