Chapter Thirty-Eight – Raphael
I set the broken staff on the dusty altar, having arrived back at my church faster than I should have on foot. For a few moments, I merely stared at it. I knew Kassandra did not simply stumble along the staff. Sorcerers never lost sight of their staff, and if their staff was broken, the Sorcerer died.
Was it so hard to admit that she found a Sorcerer, took its staff and broke it, permanently purifying it? No, no it wasn’t…but perhaps that was not what truly happened.
I had heard tales of powerful Sorcerers being able to send things across the different realities. In these realities, some things remained the same. The most important, universal, life-changing moments did not change. But in another reality, I supposed everything was fair game.
That would be the only reason she would lie to me. Then again, I didn’t know why her lying surprised me so terribly. It was not like I had not lied to her. I lied about Crixis being dead, and that, she promptly found out, was not true. I tried to protect her. How was I supposed to know that they had already met?
Kassandra had nothing to gain from lying to me, so why would she do it? Unless she saw something of me in the other world, something that I hadn’t shown her or told her yet. Something about my past or what I was.
Beneath my uniform, the gold around my neck was cold on my chest. I wasn’t sure why it was so cold, because I hadn’t taken it off as far as I could remember. I touched it through my clothes, feeling the eternal symbol etched in it. Who knew that eternity lasted so very long?
Feeling the need to beg for forgiveness, I got to my knees before the statue of Christ. “Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned.” I clasped my hands together and continued, “I—”
“Have spent many a lonely night desiring to do some pretty immoral things,” a voice came from behind me, mocking me with each and every word.
I didn’t bother looking, for I knew that voice well enough. Standing, I demanded, “Leave this place.”
“Why?” The intruder strolled closer. “Would you like more time alone to think about—”
Growling, I spun and punched him with all my might, sending him flying fifty pews back.
Crixis recoiled before he laughed. “My dear, old buddy Raphael.”
“I am not your dear, old buddy,” I told him firmly as my fingers clenched, drawing blood, but he ignored me and carried on.
Wiping the blood off his nose, he said, “Oh, but you are. You’re the only person in this city that I view as a friend. I’ve known you far longer than these people have. Doesn’t that give me any credit?”
Narrowing my eyes, I whispered, “No.” A slow, angry sigh left my mouth. “Why are you still here? Why haven’t you moved on? Surely you are getting bored.”
“Never.” He smirked. “And I’m still here for the same reason you are.”
“And what are you insinuating, Crixis?”
“You know exactly what I’m insinuating. Well…” Crixis shrugged, thinking. “Maybe not the precise same reason you’re staying. I want to do the very opposite. Kill her. I want to kill her,” he spoke the last sentence slowly.
“I will not let you hurt her.” I took an aggressive stance, ready to fight him here and now.
“I understand the way you’re feeling. Confused. Half of you wants to kill her…and the other half, we both know what the other half wants.” A sick, wide smile crossed his face. “But I will say that there is something about her. Something so fascinating that every Demon who comes near her doesn’t want to leave. I’ve never felt anything like it, in all my life, and I’ve lived a long time.”
Despite everything, I knew what he referred to. I knew the feeling, it was the same sensation that swam over me anytime I was in the same room as her. Normally I was cool and collected, but around her, I was not. I had never lost control, save for that one time.
Crixis was by the door, stopping to stare at the statue of Jesus. “Take it from me, Raphael. Things are about to get wild around here. If you’re that scared of the truth, maybe you should leave before the going gets tough.” There was a pause as he smirked. “I wonder how well they’ll handle the truth.” With a blink, his eyes flashed a deep red. “When they learn of what you are, how you beguiled your way into their lives. You like to think you’re better than I am, but you’re not.” He gave me one, last grin before vanishing, leaving me alone in my great, dilapidated home.
I took a step back, through a blue rift, falling to my knees as I stepped out of it in front of the altar. I should not have let him get to me. I should simply ignore what he said and move on, yet I could not. I could not, for everything he said was true.
I was no better than Crixis, my sworn enemy.
Above me, the immobile statue wept for me.
Chapter Thirty-Nine – Koath
The sun was unusually bright for seven A.M., but that didn’t stop me from needing my coffee. Max was already in the car, waiting for me with his backpack full of books and notebooks and even a full lunch, like the studious overachiever he was. Though he was schooled all he needed to be by the time he was ten, he took this high school business seriously.
I grabbed my bag, slung it over my shoulder and sipped my to-go mug, about to lock the front door behind me when I heard my cell go off. After checking the caller ID, I answered it. “Hello?”
“Koath,” an Englishwoman spoke, “I trust you’re well.”
“I am, Elizabeth. Did you read my report?” I put the coffee cup in the crook of my arm as I locked the door.
It was a moment before she answered, “I did. I’m calling about your request. I need you to confirm what you said in your report.” Papers were shuffled in the background, and I glanced to make sure the windows of the car were rolled up. Max did not need to hear any of this. “Is it true? Is Crixis in America?”
“Yes,” I muttered, not too thrilled with it myself.
“And he’s after Kassandra?”
That was the worst part, and it took me a long while to say, “He is.”
“Very well. I’ll get the papers started. I’m sure your request will be approved. There’s no one the Council despises more than Crixis.” Elizabeth added, “But it will take a while to get through the red tape. Make sure she doesn’t take any unnecessary risks. From everything I’ve read about her, she isn’t as cautious as you are.”
At that, I found myself smiling. “She takes after her mother on that.”
Elizabeth spoke softly, “The world lost an angel when it lost her.”
With that, I wholeheartedly agreed.
She switched courses, asking gently, “How is Michael? Have you seen him recently?”
Of course I’d seen him recently. It was her way of casually mentioning the love of her life, the man she left for her job once the Council promoted her and not Michael. “I have, but that’s something you should ask him yourself. I’m sure he’d love to hear from you. Give him a call.” I said my farewell and slid the phone into my pocket, heading to the car.
If everything went smoothly, if favors were pulled quick enough, the Council’s man would be here in days, and he’d be imbued with the ability to purify Crixis for good. Kass’s only chance of survival, based on everything that happened recently, was if Crixis was gone.
And if there was anything I wanted in this world, it was for Kass to be safe.
Needless to say, making her a Purifier was not my idea, but I could not go against my wife’s dying wish.
Morphers
Chapter One – Kass
Dripping venom. Eyes glowing yellow. Unnaturally sharp canine teeth that would make even Dracula himself jealous. Their movements were jagged and slow; meaning they woke mere moments ago. In seconds, however, they would gain their inhuman speed and strength and be a force to be reckoned with.
It was best to take care of them before that happened.
The group of five Nightwalkers shuffled in my general direction, silently begging me to purify them. It’s what I did: purify.
More specifically Demons. The most common Demon I faced on an almost daily basis was the Nightwalker.
A Vampire, in other words. A lesser Vampire. The weakest ones who couldn’t walk in the sun. Nightwalkers were like stupid animals, driven on one instinct: the instinct to feed. These Demons didn’t stop with the blood, like Daywalkers did. No, Nightwalkers ate skin, too. Gross.
Snapping back to the matter at hand, I clutched my rose blade tighter. This sword was awesome. I loved it. I also loved Gabriel’s dragon sword, too. The best birthday gifts we ever got, including the crossbow I got when I turned twelve.
That Gabriel…if only he was here. At least I’d have a little excitement, albeit a lot of eye-rolling, too. He always had some stupid, sarcastic thing to say while we purified Demons. He was permanently stuck in a sarcastic tone.
The middle-aged, male Nightwalker lunged at me, and I made quick work of it by swinging my blade cleanly through his neck. His body toppled over and soon caught fire. The flame engulfed everything, even the torn clothes he wore, yet it did not catch fire to the grass below.
In seconds, the remaining four followed suit. I did a series of flips, kicks and rolls and soon they joined the first Nightwalker. The ground below my feet shook. It felt like a teeny, tiny earthquake. But I knew it wasn’t. I spun on my heel to come face to face with…
A huge, spikey Demon dog. No.
A purple and red giant Demon turtle. Definitely not.
A…
Okay, so I didn’t really fight those Nightwalkers. I was just imagining it and trying to put myself to sleep with happy and exciting thoughts. Did it work? Sadly, it didn’t.
I felt a presence move next to me. Gabriel. After watching Firefly, he just decided he would sleep here, in my bed, next to me. Even though his bed was less than a minute away. Just because I’d known him for practically my whole life didn’t mean that I was fine with him sleeping in my freaking bed every night.
Never mind the fact that we’d done it before countless of times.
“Kass, my dear, sweet, lovable and slightly melodramatic raccoon,” Gabriel murmured in my ear. “You’re keeping me up with your incessant mind ramblings.”
I turned my head to gaze at the tall, blonde-haired, blue-eyed boy. “You promised me you wouldn’t read my mind unless I gave you permission,” I whispered harshly back to his face, which suddenly got a little too close for comfort. My mind momentarily flashed back to the Gabriel of the other world and my cheeks flushed. Thank God it was too dark for him to see.
“Well, it’s hard to do when I’m half asleep and your mind’s racing a mile a minute. Maybe if you stopped thinking for a little while we could both get some sleep.” There was a pause, and I imagined him grinning ear to ear, “Or you could think about how completely sexy I am and how you just want to—”
I quickly put a hand over his mouth, stopping him instantly. Yep. Grinning like a madman, like I thought. “Now, I want you to stop right there and take a moment to think about how you’re going to finish that sentence.” His eyebrows creased, and he seemed to be following my instructions. For the moment. “If it’s going to be something inappropriate, which I’m guessing it is, I want you to get prepared for a punch in the face.”
My threat was legit, so I didn’t know why Gabriel tore my hand off and started shaking with laughter. I blinked at him in the dark room, my eyes slowing adjusting to the blackness.
“What, you don’t think I’m serious?”
“No. I know you’re serious, and I’ve got a crooked nose to prove it,” Gabriel managed to say between intakes of breath.
True. His nose was crooked because of me. And I, personally, thought it looked much better that way. Character, and all that.
“All I ask,” his deep voice began, “is that when you punch me, I get to do something in return to you.”
“Like what?” I decided to play along with his game. For now.
“Remember how you were in some comic-book, alternate reality and you imagined everything that happened so I would know the whole story?” I nodded as he continued, “Remember how you left out one particular night?” Two dimples appeared, followed by a white smile. “I’m smart enough to know why, and I have to say, it’s not fair that you swapped saliva with evil me and you won’t even do it with good me.”
“You. Are. Stupid,” I said, rolling onto my side, so that Gabriel now talked to my back. I preferred not to think of the other Gabriel as evil, even though he was the Devil. For my sanity, I chose to look at it as more of…an inherited title.
I felt his hot breath on the back of my neck. It gave me goosebumps. “Come on, admit it. It’s long overdue. You want to kiss me. You want to hold me,” he started singing in my ear.
Sitting up for a moment, I reached over and smacked his shoulder. “That’s the last time I ever tell you anything.”
“Lay back down,” he cooed, “and give up. Because we both know that’s not true.”
“Shut up,” I whispered as I closed my eyes. Sleep time was on its way. I could feel it.
“Fine, but…” There was a pause. “…I’ll see you in your dreams.”
Somehow, bickering with the blonde boy always gave me a sense of peace. I was definitely glad to be back in my own world with my own friends.
I was drawing a pretty picture of a rainbow when my mother said, “Finish up, honey. It’s way past your bedtime and if your father catches you up this late—” She smiled knowingly.
“—he won’t be very happy about it.”
I gasped and rushed to crawl into my tiny, princess bed. Using the dad card was a surefire way to get me to listen.
I watched my mom laugh gently. She tucked her long, brown hair behind her ear and made her way to my side. “Goodnight, Kassie.” She tucked the blankets around me. “I love you.” My mom bent down and laid a soft kiss on my forehead.
“Love you,” I murmured as my eyes closed and my mouth yawned. My princess bed felt really cozy. In seconds I heard the door close quietly. I didn’t want to go to sleep, but my sheets were soft and fluffy. I knew it was only a matter of time before I was asleep.
Just when I thought I was about to fall asleep, my bedroom door creaked open and a thin line of light fell on my face. I was too tired to open my eyes. It was probably Dad, checking to make sure I was in bed. The noise of dressy shoes on my pink carpet entered my ears as I listened to him kneel down and pick up the picture I finished only minutes ago.
“What a beautiful rainbow,” a male’s voice disrupted the silence. “I wonder who made this…surely not my sleeping daughter—”
“I did!” I yelled as I buried myself in layers of covers, giggling. I was too proud of that picture to keep quiet.
“Oh, did you?” It sounded like he was smiling.
“Mhmm.” I kept my eyes closed as he yanked the sheets off of my head.
“It’s perfect, Kassie. I’ve got to say, you do have your mother’s artistic talent. You’re already a better drawer than me.” He laughed quietly as I smiled a small, tired smile. “Sweetie, you know that your mom’s leaving tomorrow, right?”
My eyes stayed closed as I nodded. That’s what they’ve been telling me forever.
“And you know that you can’t go with her.”
“I know,” I rudely interrupted him.
He laughed softly and re-tucked the covers around me. “Okay. It seems like my princess is tired, so I’ll let you get right back to it. Be sure to tell me if you meet any handsome princes in your dreams. Goodnight.” His slightly scruffy face scratched my forehead when he kissed it.
I heard his shoes walk to the door and, before he was gone, whispered, “Love you, Daddy.”
“And I love you, too.”
Chapter Two – Kass
I bolted upright as the thought hit me. I had a dad.
Well, I knew I had to have a dad (otherwise I wouldn’t be possible), just…not one who I ever knew. As I glanced to my alarm clock, I wondered a few things. One: that dream was so
real it was scary. Almost like a memory that was recorded and stored for all these years in the back of my head. Two: where did my mother have to go? That could quite possibly be the final time I’d seen her. And three: if it was real, a memory, and I did have a father…why did I forget all about him? His face was a blur to me.
The only reason I knew what my mother looked like was because she often visited me in visions and told me that I was destined to die, soon. As if I couldn’t guess that myself, taking into account how my life’s been as of late.
My alarm clock intruded on my thoughts, giving its two cents with some old-fashioned song. For a while, I simply stared at it, unblinking until my eyes started to water and I finally had to blink. Such a slow, dull melody. What kind of radio station would play this song? Did I somehow switch it to an oldies station while I slept? Either way…weird. Weird because of the choice of song, and the fact that it sounded so familiar.
Too bad I couldn’t place it.
I hit the power button and rushed to the closed bathroom door, yelling, “Gabriel, did you change my station?” Tapping my foot anxiously, I waited for Gabriel’s answer. I didn’t know why I secretly hoped that he was the culprit. Actually, scratch that. I did. If he was the one who changed it, it was just a coincidence. It didn’t mean anything. I could forget all about it.
If he wasn’t the one who changed the station…I didn’t want to think about it.
His deep voice rose above the shower’s noise, “No.”
My back thumped against the wall as I thought, great.
“Maybe you did,” Gabriel added as he opened the door, letting loose ten minutes of hot steam and appearing before me practically naked. At least the most private parts were covered by a white towel. “Maybe you sleepwalked, only you didn’t walk…you just switched the station.” He smiled as he rubbed his wet hair with a smaller towel. “You…slept-switched.” The thin, intricate tattoos that lined his whole body were visible, circling the Celtic cross on his pectoral. After drying himself, he’d slip into some clothes and use cover-up to hide the strange markings that neither of us could explain.
The Nightwalkers Saga: Books 1 - 7 Page 68
