by Megan Linski
“But what does it mean?” I ask. “Allow yourself to wander? Follow your ancestors? It’s like some weird, metaphysical thing.”
“Maybe it wasn’t meant to be taken literally. You’re thinking too much,” Thames says.
He sees a collection of loose, flowy shirts and pretty skirts in my arms, along with a pair of leather slip-ons. I recognize the look in his eyes a moment too late.
Before I can defend myself, Thames grabs the clothes in my arms and clings them to his chest.
“Thames, no!” I say, lunging forward. I attempt to snatch the clothes out of his hands, but he lifts them away. “I don’t want you paying for that!”
“Too bad.” He chuckles. “You like it, I buy it.”
“You do this every time we go shopping,” I whine. “Let me pay for once!”
“Not a chance.” Thames saunters over to the register like he’s Daddy Warbucks. I get that he has the money… Thames, Cairo, and Clara all made sure to put their massive fortunes in international savings accounts and trust funds a few days after we made it to the bunker… but come on! A girl wants to pay her own way every once in a while.
“Cass is gonna think I’m a gold digger,” I grumble as we head back. “I don’t think I’ve spent a dollar since we started dating.”
Not that we go out to shop much, but every once in awhile, when we were living in Texas, Thames and I would sneak out to the mall to stop ourselves from going stir crazy in the bunker. We always came back with bags full of stuff that he bought for me.
“I like spending money on my girl,” Thames says, and he hands me the bag full of new clothes. “Get used to it.”
My stomach rumbles. I want some lunch. I’m planning to pull out that frozen pizza I saw last night in the freezer. I hope there’s more than one… Thames will eat a whole pizza by himself.
Though if there’s no peanut butter and jelly to spread on it, I’m out. Maybe I’ll call Cass over, and Lavonne. Have a girl’s day. Get my sister’s mind off the weird grandma—
“Cass’ door is open,” Thames says when we get within sight of the cottages. It’s true. The door is hanging open, waving loosely in the thin breeze.
“Maybe they left it that way to get some air,” I suggest, though a dark, hollow pit is beginning to form in my stomach.
Thames has got fire rippling up his fingertips. My daggers are still in our house— but I don’t have time to get them now. Not if my sister is in trouble.
My shoulder blades are tingling. Despite my wings being broken, they can still sense danger.
We walk into Cassia’s house. I put the shopping bag on the floor. “Cass?” My steps on the wooden floor echo.
“Cairo!” Thames’ call is louder than mine. There’s no response. Either they left, or something is really wrong.
I round the couch and my foot hits something. Cairo’s leg. He’s sprawled on the floor on his stomach, completely still, though he’s still breathing. It looks like something came from around the corner and knocked him out.
There’s only two things I know of that are strong enough to knock a Nephilim out cold— an angel, or a demon.
“Cairo.” Thames kneels by his brother and shakes him roughly. “Wake up, bro.”
Cairo groggily comes around. His head lifts… his eyes are clouded for a moment before they instantly clear. “Cassia.”
Cairo shoves Thames out of the way and scrambles to his feet. He runs to the stairs. The two of us follow, my heart pounding in a sick, nauseating fashion. What sick creature has got its hands on my sister…
Cairo kicks down the bedroom door. Cassia is sprawled on the bed, frozen. She’s awake, her eyes open, but the rest of her body seems paralyzed. Her black wings are spread out behind her, quivering in pain. A deep gash on her neck gushes blood. From that gash, a creature of hell feasts.
I’m ready to kill, mutilate, and fry the monster that hovers above her. It looks like a decomposing cadaver, given ability to walk and move… rotting flesh and white skin clings to the demon’s form. As we enter the room, the demon turns. It’s got two slits for eyes, black pits without pupils, and sharp teeth as long as my forearm. When it opens its mouth to snarl at us, it’s throat forms a red, glowing hole that resembles the pits of hell.
A Jikininki— a ghoul familiar that feasts on mortals and half-mortals both— has infiltrated the Immortal Legion.
And it’s feeding on my sister.
I’m paralyzed.
Once the demon sunk its fangs into my neck, I couldn’t move. I’ve been sitting here for five minutes, unable to do anything, even able to call for help. Each of my limbs are frozen as the Jikininki feasts on the flesh from my neck. Its long, forked tongue licks at the droplets of blood on my skin, fangs nibbling at my tendons…
The door bursts open. Relief floods my veins. Cairo, Thames, and Faline. My family.
Cairo emits a rage-filled roar and runs at the demon. The creature squeals and jumps out of the way, the hanging flesh on its body swinging. Cairo raises his sword hand and the weapon appears, wrapped tightly in his fingers.
Once it arrives, Cairo charges. The demon sidesteps Cairo’s swing and my boyfriend goes slamming into the wardrobe.
I try to get up. I can’t. I’m too weak.
Lena’s sword materializes in her palm. She runs at the Jikininki and jumps high into the air, yanking the sword backward like she’s about to take flight.
Midway through the leap, Lena gives a cry of pain, and her body bends. She falls in a twisting fashion onto the floor, body landing with a thick thump. Thames eyes flash to her, then me, not knowing who he should help.
The monster backhands Cairo, and his cry of pain causes Thames to act. He hurtles forward and tackles the demon to the ground. The Jikininki scratches at Thames with long claws, but the cuts only burn like fire upon Thames’ skin before healing.
Thames tosses the Jikininki into a corner, where it crashes against a desk. The desk shatters, wood snapping and legs flying everywhere. Thames and Cairo move in on both sides. The Jikininki snarls, attempting to slither its way out but not finding anywhere to go.
With the Jikininki cornered, Cairo dives. His blade sings as it lands in the demon’s heart. The monster lets out a mournful cry, my blood still on its lips.
Cairo snarls. He pushes the blade in deeper, and the monster explodes into a pile of ash.
Cairo drops his sword. He turns on his heel and rushes to me, his ashen fingers trembling over the gash on my neck.
“Cassia.” His words are thick. “I’m so sorry. I should’ve caught it before it got to you.”
“It wasn’t your fault, Cairo,” I tell him. I went upstairs to take a nap, since I didn’t get any sleep the night before. After I laid down, a demon emerged from the staircase… and after it tackled me, started gnawing on my neck.
“Let me.” Lena is up off the floor. She comes back from the bathroom holding gauze and thick padding. She wraps my neck tightly until the bleeding stops, then securely tapes the loose ends. I sit up, light-headed. Cairo’s arm is firmly behind me, to catch me if I fall backwards.
“I don’t understand. This isn’t right,” Lena thinks aloud. “A Jikininki should’ve never attacked you. They feed on corpses, not live people.”
“Right. It knocked Cairo out and didn’t even taste him,” Thames responds. “It should’ve left Cassia alone.”
Cairo’s eyes lock on mine. I know the answer to their questions— because I’m practically dead already.
I feel so plain. Gray, almost. Like my colors are fading away to be replaced by muted tones.
I’ve learned to live half-alive. No wonder the Jikininki mistook me for a walking corpse. I feel like one, lately.
There are footsteps on the staircase. Lavonne comes bursting in, followed by Allen. Her gaze trails from the pile of ashes on the floor to my neck. “What happened?”
“You let a Jikininki in here,” Cairo instantly accuses. “What kind of alliance are you, allowing a demon to wan
der through camp?”
“This has never happened in the Immortal Legion before,” Lavonne says, her voice a low growl. “We have guards posted at every station into the village. This shouldn’t have happened. He can’t have gotten in by himself.”
“Well, he just did,” Cairo snaps. “And Cassia had to pay for it.”
Lavonne looks to me. “Cass? You okay?”
“Yeah.” I grimace. “Can’t say it wasn’t a surprise, though. I thought you said this place was safe?”
“It is,” Lavonne insists. “Like I said, this has never happened before.”
I groan and lie my head on Cairo’s shoulder. I feel like throwing up… like some sort of thick substance is sticking to my insides. I want to get it out.
Allen looks the most concerned out of all of us. “All of you need to stay in your homes. Lock the doors, and check your entire cottage for more demons. I will have guards stationed at the hospital to protect your mother. As of this moment, the village is on lockdown. Lavonne, come with me. We must be certain no more demons have infiltrated the camp.”
Allen sweeps away, his daughter following. My eyes begin to droop. Cairo guides me to a chair in the corner.
“Change the sheets,” Cairo barks at his brother. Thames and Lena hastily hurry to follow his command. Cairo kneels in front of me and takes my chin in his hand, turning my head from one side to the other slowly. I follow his movements like a zombie, without thought.
“Your eyes are dilated.” His mouth is a straight line. “That’s not a good sign. You should go to the hospital.”
“I’ll be okay,” I say. God, my voice sounds so pathetic right now. “I just need to sleep.”
Thames and Lena finish putting new sheets on the bed. The ruined ones have been tossed in the hamper… I can still smell the blood.
Cairo helps me lie down. His form is blurry as he stands over me. “Do you want me to stay awhile?”
“Yes,” I whisper. “Please stay.”
Thames and Lena glance at each other before saying hasty goodbyes, promising to come right over if they hear anything suspicious. Cairo climbs over me and lies beside me, putting an arm around me and pulling me closely to his chest. His heartbeat is the only thing living between us; mine stopped beating long ago.
I fall into unconsciousness, inky fingers like death wrapping themselves around my mind as I drift off into oblivion.
My sleep is fitful, and full of nightmares that I can’t escape. I try to make myself snap out of it, but I end up sleeping all throughout the rest of the day, and all night. It’s like I’m trapped inside my mind… unable to escape.
When I wake up the next morning I find that my stomach feels even worse, like some sort of poison has infected my system. I feel more lightheaded and weak than I did yesterday. What is wrong with me?
I stumble downstairs. Cairo is waiting at the counter with a mug of coffee. I know that look. He’s thinking.
His deep expression changes when he notices me. He immediately abandons his coffee and jogs to the stairs to help. He takes my arm and takes me carefully to the table.
“I can walk okay,” I tell him as I settle into a kitchen chair.
“You slept a long time. Do you feel better?” he asks, raising an eyebrow as he sits across from me.
I open my mouth to lie before I decide honesty is better. “No. Worse, actually.”
Cairo grimaces. “That’s okay. We’ll put off seeing my dad.”
“I don’t think so. We’re doing this today, like we planned,” I say firmly.
“You’re not healthy. We can wait until you get better,” Cairo says. My small hands are completely enveloped by his large, strong ones.
I shake my head. “No. This is more important. Each day we put this off Roman gets stronger and stronger. This can’t wait.”
“I’m worried you’re not well enough to handle the teleport.”
“I’ll manage.” I smirk at him. “I’m stronger than you think.”
Cairo brushes his knuckles across my cheek. “Cassia, you’re stronger than me ten times over. You’ve proved that every day since the moment I met you.”
I smile at him. It’s a secret smile, one that can only be shared between two lovers who’ve known each other as long as we have. I’ve given Cairo everything… my heart, my soul, my life, and whatever else is in my power to release to him.
Except for one thing. I only wish I could give him my body, too. Eric stole that from me… and I’m not sure how to steal it back.
Cairo calls Thames and Lena over. They show up a bit after breakfast. I couldn’t eat much. My stomach feels full, like I’ve devoured a four-course meal.
Thames is dressed in his usual black t-shirt and dark wash jeans, though Lena is different. Her hair is pulled back into a half-up, half-down style, and she’s got on a loose peasant shirt with a sparkly purple skirt that reaches down to her ankles. Leather slippers, like we saw Mala wear, are on her feet.
She looks like an Immortal Legion member.
At least Lena’s not wearing pajama pants this time. I allow myself a goofy grin.
Cairo doesn’t say anything about Lena’s clothes. “Are you guys ready? We’re going after my dad today.”
“Is Cass all right?” Thames asks. “She looks like shit.”
“Shut up, Thames,” I mumble. He grins.
“She says she’s well enough to handle it,” Cairo states. “But if she gets any sicker, we’ll come right back.”
“Fair enough,” I say. I force myself to stand and take Cairo’s hand. Lena takes Cairo’s other hand, and then grabs Thames. Cairo begins the teleportation. I’m forced to close my eyes as an array of colors and lights twirl around us.
When we land, I can smell the saltiness of the Mediterranean Sea, taste it upon my chapped lips. The weather is fair, warm and calm. We’ve landed in an olive grove outside a vineyard. It’s sunny, with a light breeze. In the distance is a Grecian style mansion, built with white stone and swirling columns. We’re in Greece, all right.
“This is it.” Cairo points. “The Vineyard of Angels. Athias said my father poses as a winery owner here.”
He starts walking toward the vineyard. “Come on.”
The four of us weave our way in and out of the trellises thick with grapes. As we draw close to the mansion, I notice the color slowly draining from Cairo’s face. He’s stiff. And scared.
I cling to his arm. “Hey,” I say to him. “No matter what happens in there, nothing really changes. You’ll always have me.”
Cairo doesn’t respond, merely nods.
When our feet hit the marble steps of the mansion, it’s like the floor comes out from under us. Cairo grabs the lions’ head knocker on the door and taps it three times.
After a few moments, the door opens, and a man appears. I know without a doubt it’s him.
Christopher has his wings out, but he’s not in his full form. The four wings are golden in color, shimmering like they’re actually made of the precious metal. As they disappear behind him, I’m drawn to his facial fatures… a face that looks like it’s been hand-carved by the gods, golden hair, even brilliant gold eyes.
No wonder Clara fell in love with him. Anyone would. He’s captivating. A woman would make an utter fool of herself just to get close to him.
Both boys take after their mother, but god, Cairo is so much like Christopher. I can see it in the structure of his muscular body, even through the gray suit he wears. He stands the same, proudly, with his shoulders back and chin high.
Christopher appears to know who we are, too.
“I was wondering when you would come,” Christopher says. His voice is gravelly, yet light at the same time. He opens the door to us. We enter, footsteps echoing across the tile.
Christopher leads us to a room made of glass, with a beautiful fountain in the middle. The fountain is marble, a sculpted design of Cupid at the top.
There’s a bar in the room. Christopher strides elegantly to it, with the
same walk that made me fall in love with Cairo all those years ago, and picks up a glass. He takes a flask of red wine and pours a drink, then hands it to his son.
Christopher doesn’t offer the rest of us a drink. Cairo sips at the wine cautiously, waiting.
Thames looks nervous. I guess being a demon in a house of angels has him spooked. Lena’s eyes are narrowed, daring Christopher, or anyone who has the nerve, to attack her man.
We shouldn’t have brought these two. They’re too hard to control.
Cairo finishes the glass. “It’s good,” he says. “The best I’ve ever tasted, actually.”
“Yes,” Christopher replies coolly. “A wine meant for the angels, and not for mortals.”
The conversation is so common it throws me off. I don’t know what I was expecting. Some grand reunion, maybe, a fight, perhaps even a surprise, good or bad.
I was imagining something grand, something harder, and not easy. Tears? A hug, even?
It’s not like that. It’s… normal. And a little awkward. Like an introduction between strangers.
Christopher pours his own glass of wine before he starts sipping. It’s like the rest of us aren’t even in the room. “Tell me, my son. Why have you come?”
Getting right down to brass tacks, I see. Cairo clears his throat. Christopher holds out the wine flask, and pours Cairo more wine.
Cairo takes a sip, and says, “There is an angel. A colleague of yours, perhaps. His name is Roman.”
“I have heard of him. I used to do missions with him, centuries ago. I have heard of his plans to remake the earth into a utopia.” Christopher pours himself even more wine. “I wonder why you think it’s my business.”
A thought crosses my mind. I’ve been with the angel all of two minutes, and I already know. You only need one word to describe Christopher.
Okay, maybe three. Passive. Apathetic. Emotionless. That about sums it up.
Cairo takes a breath. “It is everyone’s business. It is the world’s business. Roman wants to make himself a god.”
“The Almighty would never allow it,” Christopher says. “Roman will fall, in time. Yet not before he brings destruction.”
