Angels of the Knights

by Valerie Zambito

The little girl nodded.

  “The men at the top are going to hoist you back up to your Mom, okay?”

  Fallon grasped the rope and quickly constructed a sling for the little girl and had her step into the leg holes she created.

  “Now, Emma, I want you to be a big girl and hang on tight. You’re going to go for a fun ride back up to the top.”

  “Okay. I will.” The little girl reached out to touch Fallon’s arm. “Wait. How did you know my name?”

  “Lucky guess. Now, hang on, Emma.”

  Fallon called up to Kade. “All set! You can pull her up now.”

  Fallon watched as the little girl was carefully inched upward back toward her anxious mother.

  I need to follow to make sure she does not fall, the Sentinel told her. It was nice to see you, Knight.

  Goodbye, Sentinel.

  The lovely creature spread her wings wide and floated to the top after her charge.

  A sharp pang of regret for the loss of her own wings wrenched Fallon’s heart and instinctively she shrugged her shoulders. But, instead of the miracle of unfurling wings, it was only a dull ache that she felt now.

  As soon as Emma was pulled to safety, Fallon scaled the cliff face.

  Kade leaned over the wall. “Fallon, we are sending the rope back…”

  Fallon poked her head up in front of him. “Already here!”

  She wanted to laugh at the look on Kade’s face.

  “How did you get up so fast? What are you? Some kind of spider?”

  “Just your average superhuman teenager,” she confessed truthfully.

  He took her by the arm to help her over the wall. “Well, I’m pretty impressed with you, Fallon Angell. Not many people would have done what you just did for that little girl.”

  “I agree,” said the mother, walking over to them. “I can’t thank you enough. You don’t know what you have given back to me. If there is anything I can do to repay you, let me know.”

  Fallon shook her head. “No, the sight of you and Emma together is payment enough.”

  The mother’s eyebrows rose. “How did you know…?”

  “Gotta go! Take care!” She pulled Kade’s arm and they jogged from the scene as quickly as possible.

  Kade stopped when they were far enough away from the scene of Fallon’s heroics and took her in his arms. “See, I told you that there was something special about you.”

  She smiled. “You are a good friend, Kade Royce.”

  “Friend? Is that all?”

  Her heart stopped. “What more would you like?”

  “Everything. All of you. Every thought, every laugh, every hurt.” He shook his head. “I can’t figure it out either, but I am drawn to you in a way I have never experienced with anybody else.”

  “I feel the same.” Really, Angell? She would have to wear a muzzle if this kept up.

  “My parents will be home tomorrow and have invited me to dinner. You’re coming with me. And, I won’t take no for an answer this time!”

  She laughed inside her mind. When did he ever?

  CHAPTER 7

  An Encounter With Evil

  “Forgive me Father, for I have sinned. It has been two days since my last confession.”

  “You are forgiven, child, although I doubt very much you have anything to be forgiven for.”

  “No.”

  “Report, please. Darius is anxious for news.”

  “Not much to report so far, Father. The Professor will not be at the university until Friday. Do you have a home address for him?”

  “Unfortunately, no. He moved recently and I do not as of yet have an updated address for him. Anthony is checking on that for me.”

  “Anthony?”

  “My altar boy. Don’t worry. He knows nothing except that I am trying to get the address of a parishioner.”

  “Then, I will come back tomorrow for the address.”

  “Remember what I said, Fallon. A Knight has already been killed. You must find a way to catch him unaware.”

  “I will.” She thought of something. “You said that this Kjin was taunting you. Why?”

  The silhouette behind the screen tensed his shoulders. “I don’t know. Perhaps he has found out somehow that I am an Emissier.”

  Fallon doubted that was the case. Unless Father Tomas himself divulged the information to the Kjin, there was no way for any of them to know that, as an Emissier, the priest was one of the select clergymen on earth who worked directly with Emperica and had access to the Elders.

  “Maybe,” she murmured noncommittally. “I will see you tomorrow, Father.”

  “Be careful.”

  Fallon stood and ducked out of the confessional. With her mind on her conversation with Father Tomas, she almost tripped over the altar boy who was scrubbing the floor outside of the small niche.

  The boy reached up to steady her. “Oh, sorry! Are you all right?”

  Fallon straightened. “Yes, I’m fine.”

  Red spots blossomed on the boy’s face. “I didn’t realize anyone was using the confessional.”

  “It’s okay. Really. Are you Anthony?”

  The young boy nodded, but looked at her suspiciously. “How do you know my name?”

  “I’m Fallon, and a friend of Father Tomas. He mentioned you to me.”

  “Oh.”

  There was an awkward pause, and then she asked, “How old are you, Anthony?”

  “I just turned sixteen,” he said, glancing around nervously.

  Fallon was surprised. He was small and looked to be no older than twelve. Not wanting to torment the obviously shy young man any further, she nodded and walked past him. “Well, nice to meet you, Anthony.”

  “Okay. See you.

  Just get me that address, Anthony, she thought to herself. Nobody in this town will be safe again, until you get me that address.

  Oh, where is Julian when I need him! Fallon stood looking at her meager selection of clothes to wear for dinner at Kade’s house with a scowl. She needed to buy some new clothes, and soon. Then again, maybe she would not need them. After Father Tomas gave her the professor’s address tomorrow, her stay in Alden could very well be over. The pretense of a college student at an end, she could then return to Buffalo.

  The thought depressed her. What would she be going back to? A life of tracking Kjin, TV dinners, and solitude. Yes, that was her life and had been for three years now. So, why did it suddenly seem so unbearable?

  Kade Royce, that was why.

  Because thinking about leaving her new friend behind made her physically ill.

  She looked at the clock. He would be here any minute. Finally deciding on jeans, tee and a scarf, she walked down the stairs just as the doorbell rang.

  Fighting back her nerves, she opened the door and could not help but smile at his dimpled grin. “Hi.”

  “Hi, Fallon. You look really nice.”

  She laughed. “Not true, but thanks for saying it.”

  He looked at her quizzically. “Of course it’s true. Don’t you have any mirrors in there?”

  “I guess I just don’t see what you see,” she admitted.

  “You’re right. A mirror only reflects what is on the outside. As beautiful as that is,” he said and reached out to stroke one side of her long hair, “it does not compare to what is inside of you. That is where you truly shine.”

  She smiled. “A romantic. How many girls have you said that to, Mr. Royce?”

  His blue eyes smoldered. “Counting you? Just one.”

  A warm flush rose in her face.

  “Come on.” He held his hand out to hers. “My family is going to love you.”

  She put her hand in his, and Kade led her down the steps to where his Jeep Wrangler was parked on the street. He held open the passenger door for her and as soon as she slid in, she inhaled the scent of Kade. The car reeked of his spicy soap scent and it was a comforting smell.

  “Nervous?” he asked he when he got into the car.

 
She tried to still the butterflies in her stomach. “A little.”

  “Don’t be.”

  Only two words, but she instantly felt more at ease.

  It was a short ride to his parent’s house, a well-kept brick Tudor, and as soon as Kade pulled into the driveway, a brown, Chesapeake Retriever loped up beside them with a loud bark.

  “Titus, get back!” Kade yelled out of the window. But, as soon as he got out of the car, he wrestled with the big dog affectionately.

  Kade’s mother waved from the front door, and his father rushed out to meet them.

  The parents. The dog. The house. It was all so…normal.

  Sudden, overwhelming longing surfaced in her mind. A small tear managed to get by her tightly held defenses, but she scrubbed it away in irritation and smiled for Kade’s father.

  He enveloped his son in a tight embrace. “It is so good to see you, son.”

  Kade patted his back. “Good to be home, Dad.”

  The two came apart and Mr. Royce smiled at her. “Welcome, Fallon. If you don’t mind me saying, you are even prettier than Kade described.”

  “Dad!” Kade’s cheeks turned scarlet.

  “What? What did I say?” he asked with feigned innocence.

  “Come on,” Kade said with a glower and grabbed her hand.

  Despite the scowl, it was all in good fun and the affection between father and son was obvious. The rapport warmed her heart.

  “Hi, honey,” Mrs. Kade greeted her son with tears in her eyes.

  “Hi, Mom.” Then, he turned to her. “Fallon, this is my Mom, Judy.”

  “Hello, Mrs. Royce, nice to meet you.”

  “Mrs. Royce? Your parents have taught you well, Fallon. I don’t think any of Kade’s other friends call me that.”

  “Yes, my parents were strict about that.” After all, it was the seventies, Fallon thought to herself.

  Mrs. Royce held the door open, and Fallon stepped into a nicely decorated living room. The smell of cinnamon permeated the air. “Mmm. Smells delicious, Mrs. Royce.”

  “Oh, that’s dessert. Kade just loves my homemade apple pie.”

  A shrill scream that started at the top of the stairs to the second floor and continued down in the form of a young girl, caused Fallon to laugh. The girl, who looked very much like Kade, could only be Chelsea. She jumped over the last two steps and threw herself into her brother’s arms.

  Kade caught her. “Chels! Relax. You just saw me three weeks ago.”

  The girl pouted. “Well, I haven’t been able to hug you in way too long. I wanted to be there for you when you got out, but Mom and Dad forced me to go to Paris.”

  “Yeah, terrible aren’t they?” Kade responded.

  Chelsea laughed and Mrs. Royce snorted and disappeared into the kitchen.

  Kade set her back on the ground and directed her gaze toward Fallon. “This is my friend, Fallon.”

  “Hi, Chelsea. Nice to meet you.”

  The feminine version of Kade raised her eyebrows. “Friend or girlfriend?”

  “Give me another day and then ask again,” Kade answered with a smirk.”

  Fallon punched him in the arm.

  “Ouch!”

  “You’re very pretty,” Chelsea commented to her.

  Fallon blushed. “Thanks. You are, too.”

  Kade put his hand at the small of her back. “Come on, I want to show you my old room.”

  Fallon pulled back. “Won’t your parents be upset?” she whispered.

  He made a face. “Why would they?”

  Fallon shook her head and let herself be pulled up the stairs. Get a grip, Angell. This is a new millennium.

  Halfway up the stairs, Fallon nearly tripped when the Kur on her arm flared in a hot burn. A Kjin? Here?

  She whipped her head around and glanced back down to the first floor. The front door was opening and a man stepped in, followed by a woman and four children.

  “Hope we’re not late!”

  “Uncle Marc is here,” Chelsea screamed to all within hearing distance.

  “Marc?” Fallon hissed at Kade.

  “Yeah, Marc Ellis. He’s my uncle.”

  Fallon was stunned. The Kjin that had killed women and children was Kade’s uncle? According to Father Tomas, he was also the one responsible for setting up his nephew on bogus charges that sent him to jail for an entire year.

  It took more resolve than she thought she was capable of to suppress her anger and turn from the Kjin and continue to follow Kade up the stairs.

  Shaking her head in regret, one thought filled her mind.

  Why must she continue having to kill the people Kade loved?

  CHAPTER 8

  Caught in the Act

  Distracted, Fallon glanced around at Kade’s old bedroom. Apparently, nothing had changed since he last lived here.

  “I still come and stay a lot,” he said in response to her unspoken question.

  It was a typical guy’s room. Bed, laptop, and a fathead of Tony Romo gracing one wall. She turned to him. “Nice room…”

  There was that yelp again! He grabbed her shoulders and pinned her against the door, snaking his knee between her legs to hold her in place. “What are you doing?” she croaked out.

  The most amazing blue eyes she had ever seen stared down at her. “Looking at you.” He lifted his hand and reached out to stroke her cheek. “Touching you.” Slowly, he leaned in and hovered his lips above hers. “Kissing you.”

  Her breath caught in her throat when he tipped her chin with his finger and their lips met in a slow, tender kiss.

  This was so wrong, yet she was powerless to stop him. Her mortal enemy was downstairs at this very moment, and she was losing herself in a kiss.

  Enough! This had to stop.

  But, he was the one to pull away. He shook his head and let go of her to sit on the edge of his bed. “What have you done to me, Fallon? If I didn’t know better, I would say that you were a witch.”

  “Not quite,” she murmured.

  “What is it then?”

  “Kade…”

  He looked up at her with a sheepish smile. “I can’t stand next to you and not be moved by you. Come on, Fallon, you saved the life of a little girl yesterday with no regard to your own safety. How much more perfect can you be?”

  “Kade…”

  “Kiss me, Fallon. Kiss me like you mean it.”

  She felt the same pull to him as he did to her. Her legs felt weak as she stumbled over to the bed and dropped to her knees before him. He reached out and framed her face with his hands, and when their lips met again, she melted into him with a soft moan. Fallon’s whole body tingled with unfamiliar desire, and she lost all abandon in his kiss. A low ache thudded through her lower body and she had to fight back the urge to cry out.

  Embarrassed, she pulled away and sat back on her feet.

  When her courage returned, she lifted her head to look at Kade, and the depth of the naked emotion in his eyes floored her. Desire, compassion, innocence and, yes, the beginnings of love. Every feeling displayed in detail across his face was easy to read, because she knew they mirrored her own.

  Sitting up again, she wrapped her arms around his neck and snuggled her face into the crook of his throat.

  “Kade! Time for dinner!” Chelsea’s shout up the stairs caused her to jump guiltily to her feet.

  “It’s okay,” Kade assured her. “Nobody would come in here with my door shut.”

  Fallon was surprised. “Even with a teenage girl in here? Your parents are pretty liberal.”

  He shook his head. “No, they just trust me. Unfortunately, I don’t trust myself very much right now.” He stood and dragged her close to him once again. “We are together now, Fallon. Don’t try to pull away anymore, okay?”

  She nodded. It was all she could do.

  “Let’s go. I want you to meet my Uncle Marc. He’s great, you’ll love him.”

  Reluctantly, she followed behind him and was grateful that he did no
t seem to notice her hesitation. How could she explain to him that his uncle was a vile demon? How long he had been so she did not know, but he had been killing women for a very long time.

  Animated conversation drifted to her ears as they descended the stairs. Kade’s parents, sister, and relatives were gathered around the television.

  “Ssh! Listen,” commanded Mrs. Royce.

  The news was on and a pretty newscaster filled the screen. “Police have confirmed that there are still no leads in the disappearance of two local children. Six-year-old, Sammy Hutchinson, was last seen getting off the school bus three weeks ago, and seven-year-old, Carly Cox, went missing just last week from her own backyard. If anyone has any information regarding these two children, please contact Crime Control at the number displayed at the bottom of your screen.”

  An image of the children’s crying parents came on next, and their heartfelt pleas were hard to listen to. Mrs. Royce walked over and turned off the television. “What a shame. Right here in Alden. It’s just too shocking to contemplate. I can’t imagine what those families are going through.” She walked toward the kitchen. “If anybody has an appetite left, please sit down at the table. I’ll be right out with the food.”

  “I’ll help,” said Chelsea.

  Fallon glared at the Kjin. He looked very scholarly in his square glasses, sweater vest, and easy smile, but Fallon had to remind herself that it was not the outside that mattered, it was what lurked inside.

  As everybody walked to the dining room, Mr. Royce suddenly remembered his new guest. “Oh, wait, you haven’t met Kade’s friend yet.”

  With difficulty, Fallon nodded politely to Marc Ellis and his wife, and then sat in the chair Kade held out for her. Her Kur was a painful flame this close to the Kjin.

  She could feel Marc Ellis’ eyes on her. “And, does this lovely creature have a name?” he leered.

  His wife seemed indifferent to her husband’s tone, but Kade was not. He threw a scowl at his uncle. “She’s not a creature. Her name is Fallon. Fallon, this is my Uncle Marc, Aunt Ellie, and the four rug rats are Mia, Gino, Joey and Rachel.”

  After the greetings, Mrs. Royce came from the kitchen with a platter of ham and soon normal conversation broke out around the table.