The Devil's Soldier

by Rachel McClellan

  "Who?"

  Eve rushed by him and flung open the door to confirm what she already sensed—that she knew this woman, this witch, even though she hadn't seen or heard anything about her for over eight years.

  Eve hurried through the rows and rows of bookshelves, following the sound of a soft whimpering. A few fluorescent lights were turned on, illuminating parts of the library that had already been destroyed: a shattered table against the wall, a broken window, books scattered across the floor. She rounded the last row of shelves. And then she saw her.

  Her friend.

  Her blood sister.

  Liane.

  15

  Lucien hurried to catch up to Eve in the library, frustrated by how she was acting.

  "Liane?" Eve asked. "Dmitri?"

  Lucien immerged from an aisle just in time to see a woman huddled in a corner snap her arm forward in Eve's direction. An invisible force blasted Eve in the chest. She flew back, but before she could crash into a tall bookcase, Lucien caught her and ducked with her behind several rows of bookshelves.

  "Help me get this off," Eve said while frantically clawing at her helmet.

  "What are you doing?" Lucien asked. "Leave it on!"

  "You guys okay?" Charlie called from across the room. He was huddled with the others behind the librarian's counter, their weapons drawn.

  From the corner, the woman wailed a terrible tortured cry. "Get out! Leave me alone!"

  "My friend is out there," Eve said as she ripped off her helmet. "I have to get to him."

  Lucien straightened and peered over a shelf of books. Lying next to the woman was a man in a dark robe. The monk, Dmitri. Lucien listened close. The monk's heart still beat. The woman also had a heartbeat, but it was strangely calm for someone who appeared so frantic. She was on her knees in a white and blue polka dotted summer dress, tugging at her long dark hair

  "I'll go out there and get him," Lucien said. "Just put that helmet back on."

  Eve grabbed his arm, stopping him. "It has to be me."

  "Now!" Charlie said from across the room. The men behind him circled around and rushed at the witch.

  "Stop!" Eve cried, surprising both Charlie and Lucien.

  The witch in the corner struck out again, knocking two of the men away from her. The third raised his weapon, nothing that would kill the woman, only knock her out using a tranquilizer. His finger pressed the trigger, but before it could activate, Eve used her own magic to rip the gun from his hand.

  "Back off, everyone!" she said and stood.

  "What is going on?" Charlie yelled.

  The witch covered her ears with her hands and screamed again.

  "I am going to go talk to her," Eve said.

  Charlie threw up his arms. "Are you crazy?"

  Lucien pulled her close. His fingers tingled where they touched her warm flesh, and he was reminded again of the power between them. "What are you doing?"

  "I know her. Just let me go." She squirmed free from his grip and hurried away.

  "Lucien!" Charlie called.

  He shrugged and scrambled after Eve, who left the safety of the bookshelves, her arms outstretched toward the witch.

  "It's okay," Eve said. "I won't hurt you."

  The witch's eyes darted around the room, her head twitching in short, unnatural bursts.

  "Look at me, please," Eve said again. Her voice was calm and soothing. "You know me."

  Lucien and Charlie locked eyes. Who was this witch?

  "Stop!" the frantic woman said and raised her hand as if to use magic again.

  Eve smoothed her hair back, taking it away from her face. She probably thought it would help Liane recognize her better.

  "Liane. It's me. Eve."

  Liane? Lucien's mind raced. And then he remembered. Her friend from when she was with Boaz. But didn't Eve say that Liane had betrayed her?

  Liane's eyes widened, and she brought her hand to her mouth. "You are a ghost!"

  Eve shook her head. "I'm very much alive." She held out her hand and stepped toward her. "Touch me. You'll see."

  Liane lowered her hands, twisting her face in confusion. "Boaz told me you died."

  Eve took another step forward. "Is that where you've been all this time? With Boaz?"

  "I wasn't with Boaz," she spat. "He kidnapped me and has kept me in a prison all of this time, draining my magic." Tears filled her eyes, and she lowered her head. "I've been his bloody battery charger for months. He nearly killed me."

  Eve's shoulders sagged. "Oh, Liane. I had no idea!"

  Liane's head snapped up, and she glared at Eve. "And where were you the whole time? Living a life of luxury free from Boaz? You left me!"

  The hair on Lucien's arms rose as the room turned electric. This witch was ready to blow. He stepped out from behind the bookshelf and drew close to Eve.

  Liane's eyes darted to him. "Who are you?"

  "Don't worry about him," Eve said. "He's afraid you're going to hurt me. But you wouldn't do that, would you?"

  Liane bit her lip. "I don't want to. I'm so very tired."

  "Then come with me. I'll take care of you." Eve crept forward. "I'll explain everything."

  A book dropped near Charlie. Everyone jumped. Rick's mouth fell open and his face turned a deep scarlet.

  "Sorry," he whispered.

  Liane narrowed her eyes. "If you are my friend, then why did you bring all these men with you? You came to capture me, didn't you?"

  "No, I wouldn't—"

  Liane raised her hand, her fingers twitching. Lucien didn't wait to see what she might do to Eve. Instead, he struck first.

  With a mere thought, he attempted to pin Liane's body to the wall where she would be contained, but a powerful force blocked him.

  Liane's cold gaze locked with his. "No one will force me to do anything ever again."

  She jerked her head forward. It looked like a simple nod, but it brought a sharp blast of energy that knocked everyone to the ground. A freezing wind came behind it, whipping and stirring papers and books all around the room. Frost crystalized in the corners of the window; one of them cracked.

  Charlie was yelling orders to his men, but Lucien barely heard him over the roaring wind. He crawled toward Eve, who had crashed into a table, flipping both herself and the table over. He smoothed her swirling hair away from her face.

  "Are you okay?" he yelled.

  Her eyes met his. The deep sea green held roots of hurt and pain. He glanced over her head her toward Liane. She was standing tall, her hands down, palms outward and fingers spread. Her eyes shined milky white while her lips moved, chanting words he couldn't hear.

  This had to end, but he didn't dare hurt Liane for fear of causing Eve any more pain. It was evident Liane meant a great deal to her.

  Over to his side, Charlie had managed to upright himself. He shouldered a gun and pointed it at Liane. Liane noticed and turned his way, and by her expression, she meant to do a lot more than blast him with air.

  Lucien searched the scattered debris on the floor. He spotted a tranquilizer near one of the men, who still hadn't recovered from falling down. He scrambled over and scooped it up just as Charlie pulled the trigger. The tranquilizer from Charlie's gun had barely left the barrel, before Liane exploded it in midair, flames shooting in every direction. Charlie cried out and reached for his face with both hands.

  Lucien took advantage of the distraction. He rushed Liane from the opposite side and plunged the dart deep into her neck. Her eyes widened and her lips moved as if muttering a curse, but before she could finish, she slumped to the floor.

  Books and papers crashed to the ground. Charlie was moaning and writhing on the floor, his face covered. Lucien hurried over to him.

  "Let me see," he said.

  Charlie grimaced and lowered his hands. "It feels like my face has been eaten off! How bad is it?"

  Lucien turned Charlie's chin to get a better look. The left half of his face had tiny metal shards embedded into much o
f his skin. The tip of the gun must have exploded too, but at least he would live.

  "I'd say it's an improvement," Lucien said.

  "Shut up and get me some help," Charlie said and moaned again.

  Lucien motioned Rick over. "Take him back to the Deific and call Dr. Skinner. He'll know what to do."

  "But isn't he a shrink?" Rick asked.

  "Just do it!" Charlie said. "I'm dying here."

  Lucien helped Charlie to stand. "Skinner knows a medical doctor that's helped us before."

  "Got it, Boss," Rick said and guided Charlie away.

  Lucien straightened and addressed the other men, many of whom had their own injuries, but none of them looked serious. "Let's get this place cleaned up as best we can, then return to the Deific."

  He turned back to Eve. She had moved from her spot on the floor and over to Dmitri.

  "Wake up," she said and shook his shoulder gently.

  Lucien walked over to her. "Is he hurt somewhere?"

  "I don't think so. It feels like some sort of a spell."

  Lucien lowered to his knees and placed a hand on his back, concentrating hard. It took a few seconds for him to sense it, but soon he felt something foreign pulsing through the monk, sort of the way one senses when an intruder has been in their home.

  "We could break it," he said and glanced at Eve.

  She nodded once and slid her free hand into his. Their magic connected at once, and an intense heat surged through him. He focused on the foreign magic and, doing what Henry had taught him, forced it from Dmitri's body. Liane's magic was strong, but not strong enough when his was paired with Eve's. Together, he felt they could accomplish anything.

  He opened his eyes and caught Eve staring at him. She quickly lowered her eyes as if she were doing something wrong. Lucien squeezed her hand in reassurance, but she didn't squeeze it back.

  Dmitri coughed and opened his eyes.

  "Dmitri!" Eve said. "Are you okay?"

  He pulled himself into a sitting a position and lightly touched his head, just beneath his brown curly hair. "I feel drunk. Am I drunk?"

  Eve smiled. "Not you. It was magic."

  Dmitri tightened his lips as if trying to clear his mind, but then he saw Liane. "She did this to me."

  Eve glanced at Liane and then Dmitri. "What are you doing here? And how did you find Liane?"

  Dmitri, his eyes full of innocence, said to Eve, "Why, she's come for you, of course."

  16

  Eve's pulse raced, a fast painful beat. Did Liane mean to take her back to Boaz? Lucien tightened his grip on her hand, a move probably meant to steady her, but the fear and dread rumbling in her stomach couldn't be tamed.

  "Why do you look so frightened?" Dmitri asked. "Liane needs your help."

  "My help?"

  "She came to the monastery after escaping from Boaz. I overheard her speaking with one of the other guests about her past and a woman named Eve, a sister of hers, who died in a fire." He moved his neck back and forth as if it was sore. "I remember her words exactly. Liane said, "’If Boaz wouldn't have killed Eve, I know my life would've turned out differently. She would've helped me.’ When I heard those words, I knew whom she was speaking about."

  "But why bring her here?" Lucien asked. "Why not call?"

  "Because of Boaz. Liane said he was in Europe and probably looking for her, so I thought it best to get her out. I was going to call you," he looked at Eve, "the moment we landed, but Liane grew nervous and ran. I didn't tell her about you, maybe I should have, but I wasn't sure if you wanted to see her. I followed her trail, since her magic was easy to track, to the library. That's when she rendered me unconscious."

  The fear in Eve's gut turned sour. Had she been wrong about Liane this whole time? Eve had always assumed it was Liane who had told Erik and Sable that Eve had faked her death, which led to Boaz capturing her, but maybe Boaz had tracked her on his own.

  Eve let go of Lucien's hand and turned to Liane, who was lying still on the floor. She smoothed the hair away from Liane's face. The hair fell from her neck, revealing two angry-looking puncture wounds. Eve bit the inside of her lip.

  "Was I right to bring her here?" Dmitri asked.

  "Yes." Eve tightened her hands into fists. Boaz would pay for this.

  "The timing of her return," Lucien said. "What if this is part of Boaz's plan?"

  "Boaz kidnapping Liane was part of his plan. Her escaping wasn't." Her tone was sharp, but she couldn't help it. Boaz had hurt too many people, ruined too many lives.

  "But how do we know she escaped?" Lucien asked again, his voice gentle.

  "Because she said so," Eve said and straightened. "Let's get her back to the Deific. I assume there's an empty apartment we can stay in?"

  "You can stay with me," Lucien said, standing tall next to her. "But we should probably keep Liane detained until we know more."

  Eve should've looked at Lucien when she said her next words, but she couldn't. "I'll stay in my own place, and Liane can stay with me. She's won't be a threat to anyone."

  "Did you not just see what she did to Charlie? You haven't even asked about him."

  Eve cringed at the hurt in his voice. "You're right. I'm sorry. How is he?"

  "He'll live, but with some new fancy scars."

  Eve touched a growing pain in the middle of her forehead. "I'll check on him as soon as I can, but I need to get Liane back to a place for just her and me. I know you disagree, Lucien, but I promise she's not a threat."

  Lucien glanced over at Dmitri, clenching his jaw.

  "She seemed perfectly harmless up until tonight," Dmitri said, shrugging a little.

  "Fine," Lucien said and easily scooped Liane into his arms. "But I'm staying close by."

  Eve helped Dmitri to stand. "And there's plenty of room for you too, Dmitri. You'll be safe here."

  Dmitri smoothed his robe. "Just for a couple of days. This city makes me feel claustrophobic."

  "This place is a disaster," Eve said, looking around. Shelves had been tipped over and books were scattered everywhere. Charlie's men were picking up and fixing what they could. "How long do you think Liane will be out for?"

  "A couple of hours, at least," Lucien said.

  Eve avoided his gaze. The way he was looking at her… confused, hurt. She couldn't think about it right now. "Would you mind taking Liane back? I want to help the others clean up."

  "This isn't your fault," Dmitri said. "It's mine. I should have told you we were coming."

  "I'll take Dmitri and Liane, but then I'm coming back for you," Lucien said.

  Eve bent over and picked up a book. To Kill a Mockingbird.

  "That's okay. I'll return with the others." She kissed him on the cheek to keep him from arguing. "I'll see you soon."

  He remained tense, but after a few seconds he walked away, glancing back once. Dmitri hurried after him, his hands twisting together.

  Eve gathered the books quickly and placed them back on the shelves as best she could. Sorting the books relaxed her and gave her some time to think through her dilemma. Could Lucien be right about Liane? But if he was, then wouldn't have Boaz just sent Liane to the Deific? Boaz didn't know Eve had been staying at the monastery. She didn't think so, anyway.

  "Eve?" a tall Deific man said. "We're all finished."

  Eve placed the book in her hands onto the shelf and turned around. The library looked the same as when they arrived except for a boarded up window and a few broken tables and chairs. The remains had been carried off, leaving a big empty space. Eve related to that space.

  "I'm ready," she said.

  It was still dark outside, but dawn hovered on the eastern sky. Eve rested her head on the glass of the passenger door window, breathing slowly in and out. Most likely, Lucien would be waiting for her. She still didn't know what to tell him, but she had to keep him at an arm's length, at least until she knew if Henry was speaking the truth. If there was any chance she had to leave Lucien again, she wouldn't make it harder
on him by rushing back into his arms only to be ripped from them again.

  The moment she walked through the doors of the Deific, Lucien was there.

  "Everything go okay?" he asked.

  She nodded. "How's Charlie?"

  "They took him off site for emergency care." A shadow passed over Lucien's face. "We need to talk."

  "I know, but I can't. Not right now."

  "Not about us."

  Eve looked up at him, surprised. Was she that easy to read?

  "As much as I want to," he said, "there are bigger things going on."

  "What?"

  "Walk with me." Lucien headed for the elevator. Once they were inside, he turned to her. "Alana found out that the Vice President is some kind of Supernatural. We are afraid something big and bad is about to happen."

  Eve leaned back against the wall. "Boaz is moving fast."

  "Boaz supported my brother's plan to kill millions. It's what he wanted. Since that's no longer going to happen, he's found another way. I'm afraid the Vice President is part of his plan."

  "Boaz has to be stopped." She said it more to herself than him.

  The elevator doors opened. Lucien waited for her to go into the hallway first before following her out.

  "So what's stopping us now?" Lucien asked. "We have the blood of all four original witch families. We need to do this right away, but for some reason Henry is stalling, and I can't fathom why."

  He stopped at a door. "Dmitri's in here. Sounds like he's asleep. Liane's next door. Rick was with her up until ten minutes ago."

  "Thank you for all of your help," she said, pausing long enough to touch Lucien on the arm. "Soon this will all be over. We'll stop Boaz. I'll talk to Henry tomorrow."

  Lucien nodded, his body stiff. She knew he could sense something off with her, but she had to be careful what she told him.

  She walked toward her door at the end of the hallway. Lucien followed next to her.

  "Everything's okay, Lucien," she said. "Dmitri gave me a spell book of sorts that belonged to my mother's sister. I'm going to study it tonight to see if there's something in there that could help us against Boaz."